Eclipse
by Infinite Vibrance
Summary: Fate has a funny way of bringing two people together, only to rip them apart in the end. Sasuke and Naruto, two princes, are simply the pawns in the huge game Fate loves to play. But Fate can be changed, right? Well we'll just have to see about that. AU.
1. Shadows

**Warning**: **This is a YAOI and an AU, boyxboy relations will come into play. If you don't like Yaoi, then you can click the back button if you wish. Pairings are SasuNaru with future pairings coming out to have some fun, future lemon scenes, angtsy, drama, and a death or two... -coughs-. ALSO! This has NOTHING to do with Vampires. Zip. Nada. Zilch. It's just an uberly cool title.  
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Okay, so something I'd like to tell you all. Firstly, hello! Fallen here, diving back into the world of angst and drama, haha. If you've read my other Naruto fanfic Akatsuki Cosplay Cafe, then I hope you enjoy this story also. It won't be based solely on the humor aspect, but there will be a few laughs in-between. Secondly, this place mixes the old with the new. For example, in the Spoof Movie Little Kuriboh makes a crack about how they're using movie cameras in Ancient Japan - something like that. You'll see what I mean. And thirdly, each chapter will have a quote that I make up for either Naruto and Sasuke. Each quote pinpoints the significant parts in each chapter, and tell you the ages of the characters in that point of time.

Also... it was a fun idea to go with (: .

I really wasn't planning on releasing this story so early... but something in my gut was telling me to post it today, so I'm going to listen to it and see how it goes.

Anyway, enjoy chapter one of Eclipse!

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><p><strong>Chapter One: Shadows<strong>

"_I hate waking up at nights and I can't see the moon. And the stars don't come out either. That's when the scary shadows come out and scare me." – Naruto Uzumaki, age 9._

Shadows, they were everywhere. They creep along the walls, slink across his bed like a snake, blinding his eyes from the truth. Poor little Naruto, only age nine, was experience the rare nights when he'd wake up to complete blindness. His acute senses were dimmed with the fear that monsters hiding in the dark would come out to eat him. The tiny body shook and inched deeper and deeper below the covers.

He could feel eyes staring at him…

Red eyes stared at him through the shadows.

Curling up into a ball didn't help at all. His body still felt the creepy chill of Fear dancing along his spine. He hated these nights. The nights when he couldn't use the moon's light to scare the monsters away. Or the nights when the stars were too scared to come out and play and share their light.

That's when the shadows came… and with the shadows, the red eyes.

"I am not scared…" but his shaking voice deceived his mind's attempt for confidence. "I am not scared…" he forced his eyes shut, hoping that the next time he opened then he'd see the comforting sunlight seeping through his window. Naruto counted from 100 to 1 slowly, enunciating each word for as long possible.

But the shadows kept on growing… and so did those blood red eyes.

"Get away…" Naruto gripped at the ends of his hair, his child-like mind warping the tiniest of fears into his most dangerous realities. Things that were standing still were moving closer and closer to his bed in Naruto's mind. The childish smiles of his stuffed animals lined against the walls were flashing him feral smiles promising a hellish death if he even tried to peek his head any further above the covers.

And those eyes… those blood red eyes that contrasted so brightly in the dark… they never left his quivering form for a second.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!"

Flames erupted from his screams, tearing at the walls with a blazing force as they tried to wipe out the shadows. But those eyes remained shining in the flames. Naruto screamed and screamed, the fire growing in intensity with every yell.

Footsteps and voices were swarming behind the door. Minato Namikaze, king of this land and the father of the terrified boy underneath the covers, could instantly feel the heat radiating from behind the door.

'_I thought the seal was strong enough to stop something like this from happening.'_ Another surge of flames skyrocketed and the door instantly disintegrated into ash. The heat was overwhelming, buckets of sweat were starting to collect on his night robe, body, and dampen his bangs to his face. His throat was raw and begged to be replenished with water, but the screams of his son coming from the other room made his throat turn raw for all other reasons.

"Everybody stand back!" he told his guards, swallowing back the thick of hesitation that was climbing up his throat, bracing himself for what he was about to do next. He took a stance, and without much of a countdown, plunged into the belly of the flames.

The strange thing was… the flames did not burn.

In fact, it was almost a cool sensation washing over him as he gaped at the mile high flames that didn't seem to burn anything at all – although a few things in his room were a lit with flames, like his stuffed animals, but nothing was burning to a crisp.

'_Why is that?' _But Minato didn't have time to think when another round of wailing ruptured his ears. His eyes scanned the room, searching for his screaming child, and they instantly locked onto the quivering form beneath the bed sheets. He dove for his son, and scooped him up into his arms trying to hush his crying.

"Do not cry, Naruto." He nuzzled his face against Naruto's neck, hoping the sound of his voice would be enough to calm his son down.

Naruto sniffled past his tears. That voice sounded so familiar, yet his eyes refused to open. For if they opened… wouldn't they be met with those scary red eyes again?

"Naruto, can you hear me?"

"Daddy?" he whimpered. The will to see his father's face was more powerful than the fear of having to stare into those scary red eyes. Blue eyes slowly fluttered open. At first they were hazed with confusion until that slowly faded away when he saw the first sight of the flames.

"Daddy, what's going on? Why is my room on fire?"

"Hush, Naruto." Minato ran his fingers through Naruto's tangled, spiky, blonde locks, hoping that it would calm Naruto's emotions down. The more tense or hyped up he became, the bigger the flames would be (no matter the inexistent damage they cause). "Don't worry about the flames, alright?" He kissed his son's forehead gently, whispering words that made Naruto fall into the clutches of unconscious sleep. "They'll be gone the minute you fall asleep…"

Just as he had spoken those words, the flames simmered down until it was like they weren't even there to begin with. He let out a sigh of relief, completely exhausted with tonight's mishap.

'_This wasn't supposed to happen.'_ A grimace covered his face as he tucked his snoozing son underneath the covers, fingers idly stroking through those soft golden locks. _'The seal hasn't broken… has it?' _Minato lifted up his son's shirt, inspecting the seal he had placed on his child so long ago, shaking his head once he found that the seal was firmly in place. _'Then why did those flames erupt? Is the Kyuubi somehow leaking out? Or maybe something's drawing its power out into the real world…'_

His eyes scanned the room one final time, making sure to take into account every single detail of the area. Nothing seemed out of place. Everything looked to be in order. _'So why did this happen?' _Shaking his head, Minato walked out of the room, shut the door behind him, and started to head back to his room.

The guards looked at their king with confused expressions on their faces. Why did their noble leader look like the world was slowly coming to an end? The way his eyebrows furrowed in thought and how serious his eyes looked on fixing a situation – that was invisible to them – before it went out of hand, ticked them off as something was wrong.

"My Lord," his faithful guard, Iruka, caught up to him in stride. The same worried look was marring his face as well as his king's. "Is something wrong? May I assist you in anyway?"

Minato whirled around on his heel, his face molded to mask any and all expression that he had allowed to seep in earlier due to his confusion. "Nothing is the matter, Iruka. Naruto was just having a nightmare as all. You all may return to your quarters for the night."

"But my Lord, the flames-!"

"-Were nothing more but a figment of your imaginations," he cut of curtly, not in the mood to deal with his concerned guard. "Now if you would excuse me, I have a soft bed to return to." With that being said, he entered his room and slammed the door behind him – completely ignoring the shocked face from his royal guard.

Minato didn't have to the time to pat down their fears of what really happened in Naruto's room. The Kyuubi was no secret to most, and he didn't want to have their already lingering suspicions manifest into something more from tonight. He would just have to use a spell and erase their memories of this night tomorrow morning – even if doing it tonight would have been the safer bet.

'_Tomorrow morning; that is when I shall take action.'_ With the reassurance that tomorrow would bring a new day, Minato found sleep easy to fall into.

However… there was still something tugging at him that tonight wasn't going to be the last time he saw those flames.

+Eclipse: A Few Months Later+

"Naruto, pay attention please; this is very important!" Iruka pinched the bridge of his nose, holding back the insane urge to smack the snoozing blonde upside the head. Screw the higher powers if this brat was the son to the king, he was going to seriously clobber him if he didn't drop the defiant act.

Naruto yawned, his head lolling to the side with drool pooling on the sides of his mouth. He was freaking bored out of his nine-year old skull! When in the world would he have to use half the stuff Iruka taught him in the first place? Honestly, it wasn't going to matter once he took the throne from his dad. Of course, Naruto was completely ignorant of the fact that a wise king is more popular than a stupid one.

But eh… He still has a long while to mature.

Yawning once again, lazily wiping off the drool that was sliding down his jaw, the blonde allowed his head to drop into his palm with one blue eyeball peeking out behind an eyelid to gaze at his annoyed teacher. "Ne, Iruka-chan—,"

"—That's Iruka-_sensei_ when we're in class, Naruto."

"Whatever you say, Iruka-_kun_," Oh yes, Naruto was most definitely going for Iruka to pop a blood vessel with his bratty attitude. He's been close before, mind you, nearly sending the poor soul to the hospital. Waving off the impending threat of death he was getting in the form of a glare from Iruka, Naruto cocked on eyebrow in question. "Tell me when this stuff about laws and crap are going to help me out in the future."

Iruka bit his tongue in the hopes that it would drown out any foul words he wanted to throw at the blonde boy like ninja stars. He was nine, freaking nine, yet he was able to get such a rise out of him, it was so embarrassing! Counting backwards from ten, Iruka slowly opened his eyes and casted a heavy gaze over the nonchalant blonde. He would not loose his cool over Naruto. He most certainly would _not _pop a blood vessel over the brat.

"As surprising as this may seem to you, you are the next in line for the throne." He smirked at the glare that meant death Naruto was trying to send him, but simply waved the matter off with his hand like it truly didn't concern him. "What will you do when an imposing diplomat wishes to challenge you on a crime committed in your country involving a citizen from a neighboring country, and another from our country? Knowing your laws is like wielding your sword. You can hack your opponent down in size with one swing if you know what you are doing."

Naruto stayed silent for a few seconds, pretending that he was allowing the words to sink in so he could grasp their meanings. After a few moments of silence, Naruto scoffed and flashed Iruka a look that showed complete disbelief and defiance all in one. "_Well, _if I'm going to have a sword with me anyways, why don't I just use that to cut off their heads where they stand? That will get my point across."

That comment earned him a lovely slap to the head, courtesy of Iruka-sensei himself. Pleased with the reasonable sized bump on the blonde's forehead, Iruka started to pace around the room. He was formulating a plan. One that would get Naruto out of his hair, and teach him something too! He'd be killing two birds being killed by one stone – absolutely ingenious by his standards.

"Alright Naruto, obviously my methods of teaching have not been making a dent into that thick skull of yours." Naruto scowled at that statement. His head wasn't thick at all! Iruka-sensei just taught boring subjects, as all. "So I have come up with a project for you to complete by nightfall—,"

"—No way, I don't want to do some freaking project!"

"You don't have much of a choice seeing that I am your teacher, reasonably older than you, and I have direct ties to your father if I ever needed to call him about your… behavior."

The blonde pouted, knowing fully well that Iruka could call his father at any moment to completely rat him out. And he _really_ didn't want to deal with his father's wrath anytime soon. Sighing, Naruto finally conceded with the fact that he'd have to actually _learn _something today and waved Iruka on to continue with whatever the heck the project was about.

"Glad to see you are finally seeing it my way, Naruto." Iruka grinned in a way that could be defined as absolute cheesiness. "Here's your assignment: You will go into the city and look for certain situations that could somehow contradict with the laws of this kingdom. I'm not saying you have to pick out every little thing from the thousands of laws – but out of the five that I write on this board, I want you to identify three and tell me about it in paragraph form. As I have stated before, you have until nightfall to bring me back your findings."

"But that's freaking impossible!" Naruto whined. "How the heck am I supposed to find situations that break those laws perfectly?"

Iruka merely shrugged and tossed the five laws written down on a sheet of paper towards Naruto. He was completely indifferent to the blonde's comically turmoil, "That's up to you to figure out, I suppose." He looked out the window gazing at the sun that was shining so brightly in the sky above their fair city and smirked. "I say you have about seven hours before nightfall, so you better hurry up or else you'll fail. And you wouldn't want your father to hear about that… now would you?"

Naruto was out of the room in a flash before Iruka could even turn around to wave him off.

+Eclipse+

"This is so freaking stupid…"

The city was alive with people walking, crossing the street, chatting with friends – enjoying the beautiful, sunny day they were gifted with. Not that a sunny day was such a rare thing for the kingdom that got its power from the sun. It was normally sunny everyday of the week, ranging from hot to cool temperatures depending on the seasons. But it wasn't an unusual thing to see a fresh coat of snow here or there during the winter months – although that happening wasn't very common.

Naruto pulled the hood of his cloak up higher as he surfed through the crowd on his hover board. Normally he would have went without the cloak and freely travel with the whole city knowing his presence. But Iruka had warned him heavily before he left that if he even showed one whisker cheek to a civilian he would have his hide plastered to his wall above the dinner table.

So all in all – Naruto rather liked his rear end – he decided he might as well play along with Iruka's game for now.

He turned the corner, his body moving fluidly around the bend, easing himself into a nice speed as he listened to the rhythmic hum from the hover board. Blue eyes scanned the crowds he could easily blend in to, searching for anything that stood out to him. He wanted this assignment to end quickly so he could go home and spar with his father. His dad had promised him that he would teach him another technique today after his lessons were finished, but obviously that wasn't going to happen if he was out all day finishing this blasted assignment!

"Where the hell am I going to find something that goes against – what the heck is that?" a shadow slinked in-between the crowd of colors. It was _black_, completely standing out from the rest, yet no one even batted an eyelash as it moved further and further out of the city. Naruto was nearly flung from his hover board from his sudden stop. How was he able to notice the obvious creature moving as one with the crowd, yet no one else was even giving it the time of day?

'_I'm pretty sure there has to be some law about this…' _he dug through his pockets and pulled out the crumpled sheet of paper with the laws he was supposed to look for scarred on the paper. His eyes scanned the sheet, searching and searching until… ah ha!

"Found it!" he silently cheered. Blue eyes went back to the sea of colors moving around him. He could still spot that speck of black sliming its way through to the forest area. "Law #456: No unauthorized personnel are allowed into the city without the king's consent, and a passport signifying he has been granted with allowance." Using his heightened senses, Naruto trained onto the dark shadow, his hover board moving at a slow speed as he stalked the shadow.

What he was looking for was a golden sun that was pinned onto the outer layer of clothing a visitor would wear. The pin was considered a passport, once they had outstayed their visit, the pin would blink and teleport them directly to the border control center. Sure, it sounded like a harsh way of telling the person to 'get out' but it was the safest way to ensure that no spies or other dangerous people would stay too long in the city to find any of its secrets.

'_I've told my dad a million times that the pin idea was stupid…' _blonde hair flew into his eyes and with an annoyed huff, he blew the stray pieces of hair away so he could get a clean view of his target. They were growing closer to the outer edge of the forest, and with every creeping step the shadowed figure took, Naruto's speed increased. Thankfully his hover board had been set on 'silent' before he even left the castle, making the pursuit all the more easier.

He slowed his pace down to an idle hover, staying a few good feet away as to not tip off his presence. Whenever the shadow made a turn in any direction, the blonde mirrored it perfectly. It was a hunt. A hunt to ease his curiosity, whoever – or whatever – was cloaked by the shadows was going to be unmasked by none other than Naruto Uzumaki himself!

That is, of course, if things went as smooth as it was going so far…

Naruto was getting all the more annoyed with this chase. How long would this shadowed creature continue to slink through the forest? His curiosity was the sole reason why he didn't just give up and go home. If someone was illegally entering his country, he was going to find out and give that creep a piece of his damn mind!

Smirking when he realized the creature had finally stopping its journey, Naruto zoomed behind a tree a good foot away, peering around the foliage so he could still see what the shadowed creature was doing.

The shadow was bent next to a stream, probably stopping to get a drink of water, Naruto concluded. From such a short distance, Naruto could see every movement the creature made. It was actually very graceful, much to the blonde's surprise. Even the way he gulped down the water like a ravenous animal held some sort of style to it. Naruto could see its throat bob up and down as the water trickled down its throat – some of it dribbling down its chin.

Naruto gulped audibly. He was feeling so… weird. His heart was pounding in his ears, and his thoughts were running haywire with feelings he'd never experienced before. The cloak that covered the shadow's face was pulled down, exposing its pale yet refined features. Naruto's breath got trapped in his throat at the sight. He was only getting a side profile view, but it was enough of a look to show the beauty of the creature.

Long, silky, eyelashes brushed against its cheek. The warm summer's day sun was dancing along its skin, causing its pale face to shine in the light. Pieces of onyx air rustled slightly in the breeze, resting to cup the creature's cheek and dangle a little above its defined jaw line.

However, what entranced the blonde the most were those lips. They were tinted with a light coat of red. It made them stand out prominently against the pale skin. And then there was that jaw line… defined and strong, showing an air of arrogance despite its relaxed state.

Naruto wanted to touch this creature. To walk up there and say hello, and hope that it would respond back. He was just nine, yet he felt strange sensations pulse in his veins, sending his heartbeat into a spastic whirr, his throat into a dry spout, and his mind completely blank. What were these feelings that were pestering him so? What was this force that was driving him to take a tentative step towards that gorgeous creature before him…?

Another step upon the grass, then another, and after that, one more step. Step, by step, by step. Inch, by inch Naruto closed the gap between them. His head was spinning, and he kept licking his dried out lips. He took deep, calming breaths but he couldn't stop the erratic beating of his heart from thumping loudly in his ears.

He was so close…

Just a few more steps…

Naruto stepped on a twig, snapping it in half, and froze. The sound was small, but it was enough to travel through the airwaves and hit the creature's ears. The creature stopped what it was doing, focusing on where the sound had come from. It had already notice another presence from a long time ago, yet did not act on its instincts to kill. It waited until the presence made a move before striking.

The blonde couldn't move, couldn't breath or even think straight! It was like he was caught in some invisible snare that kept his feet glued in place. The wind whistled through his ears, pushing his hair in front of his eyes – but he didn't dare move his hand to brush them out of the way.

They stood there, glued to their spots; one in fear of what the other would do, and one in wait, wondering when the other would make its move. Both didn't dare to move. Both didn't dare to take a fool's chance and breathe.

Their pounding heartbeats were the only sound that could be heard in the forest.

And then… the creature opened his eyes.

They were the color of scarlet. Tinted in the deepest shade of blood and spotted with marks that showed off his royal lineage.

It was those red eyes…

The same red eyes from a few months ago that kept the frightened Naruto awake most of the night. Those same red eyes that watched him through the flames, staring into his soul, marking his very being with its heavy imprint on that night. Naruto shivered. He didn't know if the shaking came from child-like fear, or indescribable pleasure from being stared at so intently.

Red eyes skimmed over the blonde's body, instantly recognizing the boy. The raven smirked. It was the same boy his eyes had caught onto so many moons ago. The same boy he wanted to kill with his own hands. The boy would look beautifully stained in red, blood dripping from the side of his mouth, blue eyes staring into his red ones lifelessly as the light dimmed into blackness.

He could still kill him now. The boy was frozen to the spot, probably enrapt by the foreign beauty that he possessed. Just one quick little step and he'd be right behind the boy, arms around his neck in a death grip. One simple flick of the wrist and he'd instantly snap the boy's neck, watching with sickening satisfaction as the body crumpled to the ground.

Yet his heart wasn't thumping from the thrill of a kill…

Red locked with blue, merging into emotions neither one of them could describe. Naruto wanted to touch the being for completely different reasons. The raven wanted to touch the blonde to see him scream for mercy.

Finally, it was the blonde who broke the silence.

"Tell me your name…"

The raven was shocked, but the mask on his face covered it well. He smirked, his ten-year old mind quickly adapted to that of an adult. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Naruto gasped. He hadn't expected the creature to speak, nor for its voice to sound so… human. It flowed like running water, smooth and full of grace. It danced along to the melody it produced. And it sent another round of shivers coursing through Naruto's spine. He was more caught off guard by the surprise rather than the fact that he was just given lip to by a stranger.

"I-I ordered you to tell me your name, creature! So start talking!"

The raven cocked his head to the side, his red eyes flashed with amusement at the small boy in front of him. "And if I refuse to listen to your order?"

Naruto straightened his back up a little bit higher. Why should he let these foolish emotions control how he acted? He was the prince of this land, damn it, and he wasn't about to let this stranger walk in and act all high and mighty!

"Then get ready to deal with _me_, creature." His voice was low and deadly. It was something entirely foreign to the normal upbeat and bubbly blonde until this day. His father had always told him to never use his authority over someone else unless the situation called otherwise. Right now, this situation was definitely an 'otherwise'.

And then, the raven did something that threw the blonde off his tracks. It laughed.

It wasn't a joyful laugh, full of humor and amusement. It was a cold, mocking, laugh that sent Naruto's knees to a jelly-like state. Why was it laughing? Did it take Naruto as a joke? Was he nothing more than a little boy trying to play all big and tough in his kingdom? This infuriated Naruto to the fullest! He wasn't about to just stand there and be _mocked _on his country's soil.

His pride wouldn't allow it.

"Are you making fun of me?" his cheeks flared with embarrassment. "You don't think I'm serious? You're a stranger in this country, and as the prince I'll kill you if I have to."

"Somehow, I highly doubt you will fill that threat."

"Oh really?" Naruto took his fighting stance – the one his father had entrained on him ever since he was little – and stared at the raven square in the eye. Red clashed with blue again, but this time they were challenging one another. Red was taunting blue, telling him to go ahead and make its move – it'll only be thwarted in the end. Blue flared with new found energy, retorting that it would win, that by the end of this challenge, he would prevail.

"We'll have to see about that then, wouldn't we?"

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><p>Dun, dun, DUN! So, what did you think? Good, bad? I've been itching to get into this story for a couple of weeks now. (: I hope the dialogue was okay as well. I tried to refrain from using big words - or anything at all that a nine-year old wouldn't be able to say, so I hope that worked out...<p>

Baaah. I have so many other projects in my head waiting to be restarted again... oh well, there's a time and place for everything I suppose.

Till next time, eh?


	2. Sunlight

**Disclaimer (Because I forgot to do one v.v): I USED to own Naruto a while back. It was pretty awesome until Masashi Kishimoto came along and stole it from me. He even used dirty tricks too D:! Stupid alcohol...**

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far - SayomiHayashi (FIRST REVIEWER, FUCK YEAH XD), bookwormqueen7 (SECOND REVIEWER, FUCK YEAH! XD) and Monounoke (THIRD REVIWER, FUCK YEAH XD!). Lmfao, and thanks to everyone whose added this story to their favorites or alerts!

**Eclipse will be updated every Friday. If not Friday, than Saturday.**

**Warning: An OC character/beast/thingy appears. And a chunk of this chapter is told in Sasuke's POV. You'll see why.**

Enjoy (:

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><p><strong>Chapter Two: Sunlight<strong>

"_I didn't expect to meet this boy with a smile that could dull out the sun." – Sasuke Uchiha, age 10._

A calculated slash across the chest sends his sparring partner down for the count. That makes ten now. Another hit, this time with the hilt of his sword aimed for the back of the head, sends another man down. Now it's eleven.

"Good work, Sasuke. Your mastery of the sword has developed nicely despite your young age."

Sasuke looked up from the groaning form of the man he had just knocked out. Onyx eyes communicated words of boredom, but he bowed respectfully towards his mentor anyways.

"Thank you, General Hatake."

The general smiled underneath the mask covering his mouth. He had made the right choice in choosing this one to be his pupil. Sasuke was strong, quick-witted, and fierce in combat. _'I couldn't have expected anything less from an Uchiha.'_

With a single jump, the general was standing next to Sasuke, inspecting the unconscious form on the ground. General Hatake knelt on the ground, placing two fingers at the base of the fallen soldier's neck. He waited patiently for that rhythmic pulse that would signal whether this man was alive or not.

A few seconds passed, and he felt it. Slow, but there, meaning the man was fairly alive despite the fact he has just been hit in a nearly fatal spot.

"Good, you haven't killed him." Hatake got up from the ground and brushed the dirt off his pants. His visibly eye watched as the ten-year old boy snorted and placed his sword back into its sheath on his sword belt.

"Of course I didn't kill him."

"But where you struck was dangerously close to a fatal point. If you had aimed just a few degrees to the right and added a little more pressure, this man would be dead." General Hatake raised an eyebrow, "You should know that, yet you didn't even try to strike for that point like you normally would."

Sasuke slanted his eyes towards the general. He had to listen closely, but he could hear the faint traces of suspicion and confusion trickling into those words. "Are you trying to make a point, Kakashi?"

"Not a point, really, more of an observation." the general shrugged – ignoring Sasuke's switch from formal to informal talk – casually stuffing his pockets into his front pockets.

The small raven merely grunted. Kakashi was a player in terms of someone's emotions and reactions. He knew the right words to say and when to say them to make his opponent either think the way he thought, or catch them off guard. It was a highly annoying skill – to Sasuke anyways – but he gave credit to the man where credit was due. Besides, Kakashi would say what was on his mind if he found it important enough.

"The Sasuke I know would have killed them without a second thought." Kakashi stayed his distance and cocked an eyebrow. "Did something happen yesterday?"

Yesterday... he was referring to how the prince returned late from an assignment. Sasuke closed his eyes, forcibly shutting out the pain and memories of yesterday. But he couldn't forget that boy with the golden hair and a smile that could dull out the sun.

_'Naruto Uzumaki...'_ he couldn't stop himself now. The pain from the wound was that constant reminder of what happened yesterday. The pain that surged from his left arm was tugging at a flashback that wanted to break through the surface...

"Your silence proves my theory rather well." Kakashi smirked, "So, will you share your thoughts or are you planning to keep me in the dark about yesterday?"

"What do you think?" Sasuke snapped. He wasn't ready to open up to anyone about what happened yesterday. They could torture him with the most heinous magic possible and he would not utter a word about the boy with the smile like the sun.

_'Naruto Uzumaki...'_

Before the general could open his mouth to retort, a servant ran in. He stopped just a few inches away from the prince and general, bowing respectfully as he tried to catch his breath.

"Your highness, your brother wishes to speak to you. I will escort you to the library, if you wish."

'It was my arm that was injured, not my leg. But I do appreciate the consideration...' Nodding – Sasuke was all too pleased by the interruption – the raven bid a goodbye to his mentor and followed the servant out of the training grounds.

With each step towards the library, Sasuke masked the pain that the wound would periodically throw out like a fishing lure, baiting for a reaction. With this mask, he hoped it would cover the memories that were trying to push passed the mental barriers he had created. Sasuke was a prince! Second in line for the throne, mind you, but he was still royalty. Uchiha blood coursed through his veins – the blood of many ancestors who had achieved great things over the years. Slain many creatures, and won many battles.

There was no way he was going to allow such insignificant feelings to get the better of him.

"You wished to see me, Aniki?"

Itachi Uchiha, next in line for the throne, looked up from his book. He cocked and eyebrow, towards the servant, and watched with blatant amusement as he scurried away.

"There's no need for you to be formal, Sasuke. It's just us."

As if Itachi's words were a key, Sasuke felt all his emotions being unlocked.

His brother was his refuge, his pillar of support, his strength in times of need. Itachi was, and always would be, the only person he'd show his childish side to. The only one he'd allow to see him as the child he could never be.

Sasuke rushed into his brother's arms, burying his face into Itachi's neck. Lavender and a light citrus smell tickled his senses. It was his brother's signature smell, and Sasuke absolutely loved it.

"Baka... That's how I always speak."

"When there are others around. When it's just you and me you adopt some very colorful language."

"No I don't!" Sasuke pouted, crossing his arms. His brother had no idea what he was talking about – in Sasuke's childish mind, of course.

Itachi's chuckling wasn't making things any better.

"Brat..." the older raven muttered with a smirk, flicking Sasuke's forehead with his index and pointer finger.

"Ow..." Sasuke rubbed his abused forehead, growling at his brother for, yet again, injuring his forehead. It was like some sort of hobby Itachi had adopted ever since Sasuke could walk. The gesture would always be out of sheer amusement, or when Itachi needed to put Sasuke in his place, but that didn't mean Sasuke liked it all very much.

Itachi merely cocked an eyebrow, not really feeling the need for a response. The air around them was joyous and light – just like it is every other time they talked. But, there was a time for play and a time for business. And right now, Itachi hadn't called Sasuke to just play.

His smirk flattened across his face, eyes turning from sparkling and humorous to serious and black. They narrowed on the gauzes wrapped on his brother's arm. He didn't fail to notice how Sasuke's right hand instantly went to the bandaged appendage.

This all added more fire to Itachi's raging curiosity.

"It's nothing..." Sasuke muttered, knowing exactly what Itachi had called him in for. Normally, Sasuke wouldn't have any qualms about speaking to his brother concerning his personal issues. Today, obviously, was a different story. He wanted to keep the smiling sun a secret for a little while longer...

_'Naruto Uzumaki...'_

Dark, onyx eyes turned into slits, glaring at his younger brother until he flinched. His brother was a terrible liar when it came to beating around the bush. The truth that the wound was more than an 'it's nothing' was complete bull in Itachi's mind.

He yanked Sasuke's arm off the bandages and pressed his fingers lightly on the wound. The added pressure made Sasuke hiss in discomfort, smacking his brother's hand away before more pressure could be added. Itachi raised an eyebrow out of slight astonishment.

Yes, it was a lot more than an 'it's nothing'.

"Now then, since we've gotten over the bullshit, care to tell me how you got this wound, Otouto?"

Sasuke couldn't escape his brother's gaze, or embrace, no matter how much he struggled. Sighing in defeat, he rested his forehead against his brother's.

"I can show you better than I could tell you."

And as if Sasuke's words were some magic key, the door to his memories of yesterday was unlocked.

+Eclipse: Yesterday; Sasuke's POV+

I was being followed. It didn't take a genius to figure that out. The only idiot here was the person who thought they could follow me sneakily and not get noticed.

Baka...

The simple assignment of sneaking into the border for investigation turned into a game of cat and mouse now. So... who was the cat and who was the mouse?

A small grin tugged my lips – not really a smirk and not much of a smile either. If this person wanted to play a game, then I'd play this game and win. Sure, I'd be getting off topic with my assignment, but I could always use the excuse that this helped me get more information on my target. The perfect plan was already manifesting as the edge of the forest came into view.

Lure in my prey to the trap, then attack.

I had to give this person credit, though. They were persistent. That just makes the game more fun.

Sunlight streams down my face, around the forest, illuminating this world and giving it a whole new light. If I were anyone else I would have stopped to bask in the beauty, but I'm not just anyone else.

A stream was coming up, that's where my trap will be set. Let the idiot feel as if I stopped to rest and take a drink, lowering my defenses. If they were the idiot I claimed them to be, then the minute I 'drop my guard' they'll attack, revealing their presence, and I can go in for the counter attack.

What I didn't expect, though, was that the person was a boy, small in size and probably around my age. My Sharingan was activated the minute I started my plan. I was alert to the things around me. Colors were more vibrant, freely moving as if veins were pulsing through them. Landscape became was more defined in shape and stature. I could see the aura that is held within each and every person.

That's how I was able to distinguish the person as a male, a child. Male and female have different characteristics to their aura. Male have a bolder, more vibrant aura. While females tended to have a softer presence to theirs. Of course, that could change depending on the person's personality.

This kid... His aura was definitely strange.

The sound of the rushing stream below me called out my thirst. It wouldn't hurt to take a little sip of water. Bending down, I cupped my hands to scoop some water, bringing it to my lips. It was pure, lighter, exploding my senses in a blaze of fire. This water was different from the water back in my home country.

For a few, careless, minutes I allowed the child-like wonder of discovery to control me, lapping up as much of this water as I could. The boy behind me was the furthest from my mind...

He took a step.

Then another step...

He was moving cautiously towards me, like I was some rare animal he didn't wish to scare. So he was the idiot I thought of him to be. It would be boring attacking something that was stupid enough to come closer...

A snap rang through my ears – a twig, maybe? Whatever it was, it caused the boy to stop dead in his tracks. I could sense his aura inflame with the fear that I was going to run away. Or worse, possibly attack him.

I could practically smell the fear coming from him. But it was mixed together with another emotion... One I can't place.

Neither one of us moved for a while. My eyes were closed, focusing more on the boy than anything else. If nothing was going to happen, then I'd make something happen.

Opening my eyes, I rolled my head to the side, taking my time to actually look at him. He was vaguely familiar...

Spiky, blonde locks that stretch for the sun shined in the light, giving them a golden look. Blue eyes were wide with fear mixed in with... Was that awe? His cheeks had whiskers on either side, giving me the impression of a fox.

The fox... Now I remembered this boy. I remembered the flames that fanned out around his room, but damaged nothing. The screams the boy cried for everything to stop; for the fear to go away. It was the night where the sky held no moon and the stars were too scared to come out and play.

This was the boy.

"Tell me your name..."

He wanted my name? That was the best he could think of to ask; my name? Alright, this boy was more than an idiot. He was a complete buffoon.

Well... He'll be a fun tease. I might be able to learn about him as well. This assignment wasn't such a failure after all...

Smirking, I changed my tone to mimic how my brother would speak while he toyed with others. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

The minute I opened my mouth to speak, I could see the shock run through the boy. What? Did he think I was going to stand there and play mute? His body visibly shivered. It wasn't from the cold, and it wasn't from the fear either. It was my voice that caused that shiver. My voice created such a reaction.

This sent a wave sensation flowing through me. I ignored it, claiming it to be from a satisfied taunt.

"I-I ordered you to tell me your name, creature! So start talking!"

I'm a creature now? I cocked my head to the side, trying to hold back the smile trying to creep onto my face. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure we both have the same amount of legs, arms, eyes, etc.

This further proves my point that this boy is an idiot; all the more fun to toy with, I suppose.

"And if I refuse to listen to your order?"

My defiance must have struck a nerve, because his back straightened, and he took the air of dignity to wear like a cloak around his shoulders.

"Then get ready to deal with _me_, creature!"

He was planning to kill me? Me? The 'creature' he willing stalked out to a deserted forest with no idea how much danger he was truly in. It was laughable, and I let a laugh escape my lips – dry and mocking.

"Are you making fun of me?" hmm... Alright, so he was able to catch on to the signs of my dry amusement. Maybe he's not the idiot I thought he was. "You don't think I'm serious? You're a stranger in this country, and as the prince I will kill you if I have to."

Right... He's still an idiot. But this new piece of information makes my assignment a little easier, so I silently congratulate him for that.

"Somehow I highly doubt you will fill that threat."

"Oh really?" he took on a fighting stance; blue eyes shined with a fighting spirit to do what he believed was right. What an interesting boy he was. Willingly ready to pick a fight with a stranger. Another bit of info to add to the Intel.

His eyes sent me a challenge, one I accepted without much of a second thought.

I'll see what his fighting styles are like. How strong he is. Is he quick? What power does he hold? I'll taunt him and push him, just like I did on that moonless night, until I'm able to drive the power locked inside of him out.

One single flash from those blue eyes told me that he had every intention of winning.

"We'll just have to see about that the, wouldn't we?"

I snorted. He was cocky – something that would definitely be his downfall. Taking my own stance, I wait for his next move. Will he strike? Or will he take the patient route and wait for me to make a move? I quickly scratch that question as quickly as it came. From what I can gather, this boy doesn't have enough patience to wait for an elevator to ding, let alone wait for his opponent to make a move.

My theory is proven when I see his foot take a step to the left. Hm, he was probably going to try and attack from the side. Or fake me out with a quick jab to the right. All failed attempts on his part, because I can already see his moves before he even processed them. It's those little ticks of the body – an arm moving an inch, or a leg pivoting ever-so-slightly.

He's about to move, I can see it, but something rustling a few feet away grabs my attention. At first, I pay no attention to it, but whatever's making that noise is slinking closer and closer to the blonde. He has no idea that he could possibly be attacked in a split second.

The blonde was about to charge, but out of the corner of my eye I could see the shadow of the beast charging as well. It wanted to attack him; I could see the intent in its eyes. It was probably a wild animal – I can't place the name because I'm not familiar with the beasts in this country. But from its shadow…I can tell it's a big one.

"Prepare to eat fist!"

'Prepare to eat first'? Was he serious, or is he really that stupid? I don't have time to think about it though, because a startled scream hits my eardrums. Crap… Crap, crap, holy crap.

My body moves faster than I can respond. Instinctively I crouch in front of the body of the fallen blonde who's clutching his right arm. It hurt him. The beast hurt him in his moment of weakness – when all his attention was focused on me. It wasn't that I felt compassion for this boy. No, that was far from my mind. I was enraged that this beast had no respect for the law of Order. You attack only when it is honorable to do so.

I didn't really expect this beast to understand, but the creatures back in my country have that rule imprinted into their minds.

'**Are you this boy's mate?'**

It can speak. This was something new. I'm caught off guard for a split second, but force the shock out of my system. Now was not the time to be surprised. Now was the time to protect something I was ready to kill just a few minutes ago. It didn't make sense, but I didn't want to see him getting mauled by a creature with no honor, either.

Besides, if he were to die, it would make my assignment be in vain.

"He's nothing to me."

The beast chuckled darkly, its fur ruffling slightly. **'Then why do you stand so protectively in front of him?' **

"I don't feel the need to answer your questions, creature."

'**You are a cocky one, aren't you?'**

Now that I got a closer look at it, the creature seemed to resemble a tiger, minus the orange fur and black stripes. Its coat was as white as snow; purple dots were splattered here and there on its fur. Three tails adorned with golden bracelets swished silently against the floor. There was an air of elegance, danger, and royalty all blended into one, surrounding the beast like a blanket. My Sharingan couldn't figure out anything about its aura or its emotions. It was like I was staring into a blank wall with no way around it.

For the first time in a while, I felt fear cement itself in my veins.

'**Do not worry, human, I haven't come for you. Although you are as much of an intruder as the wounded Jinchuuriki over there.' **

He referred to the boy as a Jinchuuriki. I've only heard that word once or twice, whispered amongst the elders of the council or the elderly that have been living in the country long before my time. They whisper of stories containing demonic beasts with the power to level countries with just a wish of their tail. They fear more about the demons being released upon the world again, but that threat hasn't been made known ever since all nine-tailed beasts were sealed away into the bodies of nine, unfortunate, souls.

The prince I was told to watch out for was also a carrier of a demon. I glanced at the stilled form on the ground. He was unconscious – and would probably stay that way for a while – clutching onto his right arm that was struck. His face was contorted in pain. Just a while ago his face was fixed with determination. And before that his face was painted in awe. He had a wide spectrum of emotions he could express that it was somewhat hard for me to believe that he was in fact a Jinchuuriki.

"Why did you attack him?" I was being blunt and to the point. I needed to get this over and done with soon. Draw this out any longer and I could be stepping into a battle I had no chance of walking out of.

'**Why did you step in**** to save that Jinchuuriki?'**

Did he really have to answer my question with another question?

As if reading my mind, the creature chuckled, golden eyes flashing with mirth. His stance was predatory, but the air around him changed into a calm and serene atmosphere. I wasn't a fool though. And I was going to fall into the comfortable setting this beast wanted me to be in.

'**You see human, I am the guardian of this forest. For many millennia I've stayed in the shadows and watched over this forest, maintaining the balance as I see fit. The Jinchuuriki over there has disturbed that balance. The evil locked inside of it has caused the other creatures of this forest to hide out of fear.' **He locked eyes with me, and then at the boy. **'I will do what I deem just in ridding this terror from my forest.'**

"But he's just a boy!" why am I feeling this compassion for a kid I've never met? Why am I crouching down lower, ready to lounge at this guardian without even a moment's hesitation? This is not a part of the assignment. I was supposed to gather Intel, only Intel, and now I've gotten caught up in something I never saw myself getting caught into.

Once you've been trapped in the spider's web, there is no way of escape.

'**A boy with a terrible demon locked inside of him.' **The beast started to pace, eyeing me up and down, waiting for the moment to strike. My feet were glued to the floor and my heart was thudding against my chest. I wasn't ready for this. I don't want this! But at the same time, I want to protect this boy. I want this creature to run away with its three tails between its feet. **'Move out of my way, human, or prepare to die along with him.'**

"You know, you're the second person to tell me I have to prepare myself to die." I took my own stance, glaring red slits towards the guardian of the forest. "I'm not going to die today. Not by your claws or by the idiot's hands."

'**Foolish human…'**

Everything went by in a blur. My instincts took over, controlling my body with every move it made. The beast started to charge, teeth bared, eyes glittering with hatred and determination. I braced myself for the impact, already calculating my next move. My Sharingan was practically useless, something that added on to my fear ten-fold.

'**Now you will die!'**

"Get away from him!"

Red flashed by my vision at lightning speed. My eyes were wide open; watching the boy who was supposed to be lying on the ground unconscious had just tackled the beast onto the ground. Why didn't I notice him wake up? Why did he suddenly wake up and then _attack _the beast, preventing it from hurting me?

The sounds of the struggle were lost on me. I was so confused. Things were happening way too fast for me to keep track. I just wanted to go home. Where things were slow – horribly, boringly slow – but enough for me to take a reign on what was going on.

Another scream shocks me out of my stupor. The blonde's on the ground again, but it doesn't look like he got another injury – yet. The beast starts to stalk him, ready for the kill. I'm already forgotten from the beast's mind, and this gives me the edge. I place away all my anxiety, frustrations, fear, and anger. The only thing on my mind is the boy whose name I don't even know. I want to protect him.

Protect him… why?

No, I don't have time to think of a reason why! I crouch, sending all my energy to the souls of my feet, and pounce. I manage to knock the beast of guard, and we tumble around on the ground until I kick him off with the heel of my foot. It doesn't do much, but I'm able to get it away from us long enough to scoop up the boy.

"Are you alright?" Right, stupid question, of course he wasn't alright.

He groaned, his hand went straight for his bleeding arm. "I'm f-fine. Just a little scratch, it's no big deal."

"No big deal?" was this kid literally insane? "You're bleeding profusely. There's a trail of blood following you from the spot you collapsed on to here. I'm surprised you haven't passed out again from all the blood loss."

For some strange reason, the boy found the ability to smile despite the situation. "Like I said, it's really no big deal. I heal pretty fast – Look out!"

"Crap!" I whirled around in time to use my arm as a shield. Downside of that was that the beast got its claws sunk into my skin. It burned. It burned so much I thought I could see spots of white dotting my vision. I kicked and I screamed, trashing about trying to get the beast off my arm. But its claws were sunk in so deeply…

I could feel the blackness sneaking up, trying to drag me into the darkness.

Just as I'm about to pass out, I hear that boy screaming something. The beast lets go of my arm for some reason, and starts to slowly back track until it's at least six feet away.

The blonde's panting, crouching low in front of me, with his teeth bared and his whiskers darkened on his tanned skin. What happened to his gentle expression? And why did the guardian back away so quickly?

A surge of pain shoots up through my left arm, blocking out any and all questions I had left.

'**It seems as if Kyuubi has had enough of me attacking its host.' **Its expression was bored; almost uncaring that it had just angered the demon inside of the blonde. **'No matter, this battle would be pointless anyways. My marks have been placed, and that is enough.'**

The sun was starting to set behind the trees. Darkness was slowly settling in place for the sun.

'**Till we meet again, Jinchuuriki, and you too, Holder of the Uchiha blood.'**

As the shadows of the night started to slink across the forest floor, the guardian of the forest disappeared in a burst of light. This encounter… it was all too random, and way too quick for me to understand. If I wasn't injured, I would probably be trying to put the pieces of this confusing puzzle together.

"Oh my God…" the blonde was instantly by my side, holding my arm to inspect the wound. I wince; more at the pain rather than the warm contact that the boy produced. It still occurred to me that I hadn't even learned his name yet…

"Don't touch it." I hissed.

"Just shut up so I can fix your arm."

"Idiot, I said don't touch it."

"Look man, I'll admit I wanted to kick your butt a few times the first time I saw you, but right now you're bleeding pretty badly. It's really gross-looking. So just shut up for about three minutes so I can wrap your arm and stop the bleeding, okay?"

I stared at the blonde as he did quick work on my arm. He was quite skillful at it; I'll give him props for that. He was so dead set on stopping the bleeding, ripping off a piece of fabric from his own shirt to wrap around the wound, that I got myself lost in his carefulness and consideration with his soft and gentle touches. Three minutes later and the bleeding had stopped – somewhat – and my arm had a newly acquired bandage that I'd no doubt be questioned about when I returned.

"There, all done." He let out a sigh. I can see the tired circles under his eyes. This experience had put a lot of stress on him, and he was just a kid. Yeah, alright, I'm a kid too. But I've been in tough situations before – none like this; mind you – but enough to not let the pressure get to me.

"What about you?" I gestured to his arm, but found that the bleeding had already stopped; although there was still the faint scar from the claw marks on his arm from the attack. How had he healed so quickly? A wound like that would have taken at least two weeks or more to fully heal, and that was with the exception of infection.

"Well, as you can see, my wound's pretty much all gone." He gazed at my confused look and laughed. His laugh was as light as the night breeze that was ruffling his hair… "Yeah, I don't really know how it happens. It just does." He shrugged like that made all the sense in the world and laid down on his back.

Tonight there was a moon, not unlike the first night of our 'encounter'. I vaguely wondered if he remembered that night. Thoughts of the assignment keep bugging me, but I let them fleet to the corners of my mind. I'm too tired to care. I've already gotten enough Intel on the target, so a little rest wouldn't hurt.

"You're a strange one…"

"Pfft, says the guy who tried to take a tiger head on."

I scoffed. "Like you didn't attempt to do the same thing"

He flashed me a goofy smile. "I didn't 'attempt', I succeeded."

"With my help, of course." I smirked at the glare he sent me with the message: 'Yeah right' written all over it. It was so simple to slip into easy, childish, banter with this boy. The boy's whose name I don't even know yet…

"The name's Naruto Uzumaki. I'll tell you mine since I'm pretty sure you're not going to tell me yours anytime soon."

So that's what his name was, huh? Naruto Uzumaki…Prince of Soleil. I felt a trickle of sadness flow through me at my new thoughts. He was my target now. The boy who saved me was the boy I was assigned to… Could I really complete my assignment now after this happened?

My wound dully thudded its retort in the form of pain.

"Sasuke… Uchiha…" my name falls out of my lips and into the air faster than I can stop it. Something about the blonde made it comfortable for me to drop my guard – slightly.

He looks at me in surprise, and then all of a sudden he breaks out into a grin that could dull out the sun and put the stars and the moon to shame.

"So it's Sasuke Uchiha, huh? That's a nice name you've got there."

+Eclipse: Normal POV+

"Smile like the sun, huh?"

Sasuke pouted, punching his older brother in the arm. There was a blush that scarred his cheeks. It stood out prominently against his pale skin. "It could _dull _out the sun. It wasn't _like _the sun. There's a difference."

"Of course there is…" Itachi chuckled, ruffling his little brother's hair affectionately. The story was a long one, yes, but it cleared up all his confusions. Whether it was for the good or bad, Itachi didn't want to think about…

Because Naruto and Sasuke's meeting was fated from the start. It was only a matter of time before things really started to come into play.

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><p>Ta Da! End of chapter two :D. Don't forget to review! I'll do my best to reply to all of them :D.<p>

Till next Friday huh?


	3. Dreams

**Special thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! I love you all xDDDD.**

Yes, very early update, but I was feeling generous so hence you get your early update! NoI don't think I don't think I've mentioned this but it pertains to the chapter now so it's a wonderful time to get it out there. Naruto doesn't know that he has Kyuubi locked inside of him. Hence why, in later chapters, he's confused about the way people treat him. Anywho! On with the disclaimer!

**Disclaimer (because they're fun to do 8D): Okay, so obviously I don't own Naruto. I wish I COULD but that's just a far away dream... full of hot SasuNaru sex -COUGHS-! The only payment I recieve from this are your lovely reviews :].**

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><p><strong>Chapter Three: Dreams<strong>

"_I think I'm the only person who has dreams every night about a raven and a fox. In my dreams, the raven tries to fight the fox, but the fox always ends up clipping its wings. At that point, I wake up with tears in my eyes…" – Naruto Uzumaki, age 11._

+Eclipse: Naruto's POV+

They're fighting again. They always do that. The raven taunts the fox, cawing and crowing, saying that a creature with four legs and no brain doesn't have the gall to attack a creature gifted with flight. The fox sneers, baring its razor-sharp fangs, and retorts saying that childish taunts will be its demise.

I sit far away from the fight, in an area where I can see them but they can't see me. I don't know if they're purposefully not seeing me or if I'm just not there. It doesn't matter really, because I've seen this scene play out a million times.

And every time the raven falls from the sky without any wings to keep it a flight.

The fight scene's coming up any moment now. The fox, named Kyuubi, gets into a fighting stance, ready to attack the raven head on. The raven, whose name I don't know yet, sits on a branch bored with this all. He's too cocky to see his death.

I never know who to root for once this scene comes. Sometimes I want to cheer for the fox because he took out that annoying, cocky, raven. And then I want to yell at the fox for attacking the raven in the first place. It was killing something with startling beauty that was tied by a rope to its horrible personality.

My voice never reaches them though and by the time I open my mouth the fox already has his claws in the raven's guts, ripping at the wings to shreds. This is the part where I always cry. I don't even know why I'm crying. It's only a dream, nothing more and nothing less.

But the emotions that flood through me as I watch the raven fall from the branch in slow mo feel all too real to me.

Kyuubi roars with laughter, pleased that he has killed off the raven. I expect him to disappear into a burst of flames like he does every time I have this dream, but tonight he does something different. He turns to me, red eyes slit with malice and anger, a haughty smile tugging on his lips.

"I warned you not to interact with this creature. A bird is nothing without its wings."

He's talking to me. Actually forming words towards me and I have no idea how to respond. The things I want to say are trapped in my throat, refusing to be voiced. My lips can move just fine, but no sounds come out of it. Is it out of fear? Or is it because of the shocking pain I feel every time I hear the raven's gurgled cries?

"Foolish human… My words mean nothing to you now, but they will one day. Till then, this is only a dream to you; nothing more and nothing less."

Now he disappears into bright, glowing, orange flames. A few linger on the spot where he was standing; they quickly die out after a few minutes. I should be waking up now, in a cold sweat, shivering from the aftershocks of the same dream. But I'm not. Instead, my feet are moving one step after another towards the dying raven on the ground. Each step, my heart hurts. I don't want to see the raven in pain. I can't _handle _seeing it slowly suffering as Death comes for it. I just don't want to see it.

Yet, something's forcing me _to_ deal with the truth.

I kneel over the body, feeling sadness and pity fill my heart. I never liked seeing the raven be killed by the fox. Over and over again I wish I could step out of that invisible box holding me captive and run into save the day. The raven was cocky, yes, but that didn't mean it deserved to die like this.

"I'm sorry about this…" I mutter softly. My voice cracks and I have to pinch myself to keep the tears at bay. The raven makes some form of gurgling nose, body twitching helplessly as it gets used to the fact that it no long has any wings to make it fly. I can't watch this anymore. I can't handle seeing it go through this pain. So I scoop him up in my arms despite the blonde staining my skin and clothes, and place it at the base of the only tree around.

I whisper a few prayers, hoping its journey to heaven will be guided by an angel and the sun's rays. I'm about to turn back, when its strangled cry causes my head to whip around

And there they are…Red eyes peering in to me, trying to read me, trying to figure out who I am.

I know those red eyes…

They're so familiar to me…

"Sasuke…"

The last thing I remembered was the sound of cawing mixed with my screams as I fell into the open abyss that suddenly appeared beneath my feet.

+Eclipse: Normal POV+

Naruto shot out of bed, gripping the sheets so hard that his knuckles turned ghostly white. His heartbeat was hammering against his chest wildly from yet another dream. His breaths came out in short, quick, pants; almost like he was hyperventilating.

'_Calm down, Uzumaki. It was just a dream…' _

But it all felt too real to have been a dream. He could still feel the smooth, somewhat scratchy, texture of the raven's wings against his finger tips. And he _still _had shivers from those feral eyes of the Kyuubi staring him down. Mocking him, telling him he was a fool for ever establishing a connection to the raven.

"I'm too young for this crap." Naruto groaned, pressing a pillow against his face in hopes to block out the annoying, morning sun. This was the fourth time this week he'd had that dream. Some nights he only got blurry images of the creatures fighting each other. Other nights, every movement and every sound the fox and raven made were crystal clear. Last night was one of the clearer ones in term of visual representation.

What these dreams meant, though, weren't so clear.

"Naruto, there's a reason why the sun gets up early in the morning."

Naruto kicked his feet in protest to the unwelcome interruption. Although, he highly doubted he'd be able to drift back asleep with remnants of that last night plaguing his mind.

Minato narrowed his eyes, carefully studying his son's body language. Tense and restless; showing obvious signs of a pre-teen with something on the brain. Pushing himself off from his position on the doorframe, Minato closed the distance between he and his son and planted himself on the bed.

The added weight and the rustling of sheets, the heat that another body was currently adding heat to his domain didn't go unnoticed by Naruto. Strong arms that only a father could posses wrapped around Naruto's shoulder, nimble digits went to play in spiky blonde locks in hopes that a soothing massage would calm the blonde as well as coax answers.

"It's the same dream..."

"Isn't it always the same dream?"

Naruto shot his father a one eyed glare, not even bothering to turn his whole face away from the pillow for a two, fully effective, eyed glare. His father's annoying chuckles wasn't really helping things at all.

"But this time it was different... from the others."

Minato propped himself on one arm, gazing down at his son's face. Confusion, anxiety, and slight fear played across Naruto's face like a film strip. Each strip showed a whole new emotion. Minato scrunched his eyebrows together.

"How was it different?" his fingers went to work again, stroking through Naruto's blonde hair. He frowned slightly at the silent hesitation that came and went like a passing freight train.

Naruto chewed on the inside of his cheek thoughtfully. How much should he let his father know about the dream? It wouldn't exactly be the first time he and his father lied in bed like this and just talked. So why was now any different?

Forcing his eyes shut, he replayed the dream, jumping over holes in his memory and piecing them together so he had the perfect dream sequence front and back.

"It starts out the same. The fox, Kyuubi and the raven are throwing insults back and forth—

"The fox goes by Kyuubi now?" at Naruto's nod, Minato's body tensed a little, worry lines were being etched into his skin. "What about the raven? Does he have a name?"

_'Sasuke Uchiha.'_

The words danced in his mind but died on his lips. He couldn't voice those two, simple, words to his father. Naruto chewed on his cheek again. A small part of him wanted to keep the secret of the raven's name, of those beautiful red eyes, a little while longer.

Finally, Naruto shook his head in a slow 'no'. "The raven never shares his name... So, the two of them are fighting, and the raven throws one final insult at Kyuubi. Just like every dream, Kyuubi gets mad and attacks the raven. Every time I can't do anything to stop Kyuubi from attacking. And every time I'm forced to watch the raven lose his wings."

The dream flashed through his mind, and once again he was forced to hear the raven's screams, watch its maddening slow descend towards the sky, experience the emotions of sadness and immense anger towards the snickering fox.

"Normally, after Kyuubi attacks the raven he disappears in a burst of flames. This time... He talked to me."

"W-What?" Minato felt his veins freeze, his heart thumping frantically against his rib cage. His worst fears were starting to become a sickening reality.

"Yeah, it was really creepy." he unconsciously gripped onto his father's arm as Kyuubi's words started to play through his mind. "He told me it was a mistake to make friends with the raven, or something. But... like... I don't know the raven, yet it feels like I do. Okay dad, don't give me that 'you're crazy' look."

"Well, you're not really making sense right now."

Naruto pouted, absentmindedly drumming his fingers on Minato's arms. His father had a point, he really wasn't making sense. But how could he connect the links together without any common sense being the glue? "It doesn't make a lot of sense to me either. Kyuubi warned me that I was making the wrong choice. It was so weird... "

"And this is the first time this has happened?" Minato let out a heavy sigh at Naruto's nod. His stomach curled and clenched at the thought of Kyuubi growing more power, and enough of a presence, to make direct contact with Naruto – albeit through dreams.

At first, when Naruto started telling him of dreams revolving around the fox and the raven, he was a little concerned, but used the excuse of a child's imagination for the cause of it. That was six years ago; Naruto was now eleven. The same dream, on-again-off-again, for the past six years. It was alright when Naruto was five, because the fox and raven stayed their distances. As he grew older though… the dreams became more vivid and left more of an imprint on the blonde than he wanted to admit.

'_Why, of all times, does the Kyuubi have to start reacting now_?' Minato exhaled a sharp breath, eyes shut in frustration. He never wanted Naruto to become aware of the other existence residing in him. It was a secret he wanted to keep buried underneath many layers of dirt; literally. He should have anticipated that the Kyuubi wouldn't stay quite for now.

The feeble hope that the Kyuubi would stay nothing more than a legend was what kept Minato ignorant.

A tired smile sprayed across Minato's lips. Nothing was going to be solved if both blondes were feeling stressed from yet another, undecipherable dream. He scooped his son into his arms, resting his chin a top of Naruto's head. Instant warmth and comfort flooded through out Naruto's small body, causing shivers to dance along his spine. In his father's arms, he felt the after shocks of the dream slowly fade away.

The fear was gone, along with the sadness of the raven's meaningless death. Kyuubi's resounding voice was slowly creeping away, and as more distance grew between them, Naruto felt a little stronger.

Those red eyes, though… the imprint they left on the boy would never leave.

'_Sasuke Uchiha…'_

"Dad, I have nothing to worry about, right?"

Minato ruffled Naruto's hair affectionately, loving how much trust his son allowed to shine in his eyes. "Of course not, Naruto. As long as I'm here, you have nothing to fear."

"That's good to hear." Naruto giggled, resting his head on his father's shoulder. This time, the trust that was shining in Naruto's eyes turned to hunger in less than a second. "So, Dad, I think its time you took me out for breakfast." In response, Naruto's stomach growled its approval. "I'm thinking of ramen, what about you?"

Minato shook his head, chuckling at how easily Naruto could jump over a hurdle so big. If his son continued to grow like this, strong willed and optimistic, then he had no problem with one day handing over the throne to Naruto.

"You're such a brat, you know that? Well, whatever, I'll take you out for ramen but we're only eating _one _bowl. Do you understand?"

Naruto scoffed, jumping out of his dad's embrace to head for his closet. "Wow dad, it's like you actually expect _us _to only eat _one _bowl." The blonde shot his father a knowing grin, pulling over the first shirt he found in his closet over his head. Bright orange with his kingdom's symbol printed proudly on the front – a black swirl surrounded by flames that were supposed to represent the artistic version of the sun.

"I am the king after all," Minato replied smugly, clasping his hands behind his head and leaning back on Naruto's headboard. A wry smile tugged at his lips as he watched Naruto fish for his froggy wallet. "High standards are a part of my lifestyle."

"I'm glad to see you try to hold yourself so high." Naruto pouted, scratching the back of his head in thought. He swore he left his froggy wallet somewhere… Oh well, if he couldn't find it, then he had no problem with getting his father to pay for the meal.

"My throne helps with that."

"God, Dad, leave the jokes to me alright."

"Then I'm guessing that leaves me with paying breakfast, huh?" the older blonde cocked an eyebrow, mirroring Naruto's mischievous grin.

"Yup! Come on, if we don't get there _now _the best stools will be taken!"

+Eclipse+

Breakfast had been exactly how Naruto thought it would – loud and fun! Between him and his father, both men ate around ten to fourteen bowls a piece. It started out with one blonde ordering a bowl, making the other blonde feel like they had to be another bowl in response. Soon enough, it started to turn into a competition with who could finish their bowl off faster than the other one. Since there were so many ties, Naruto and Minato had to keep eating bowl after bowl until they were satisfied with the results.

So far, Minato had won, but Naruto was determined to beat his old man if it killed him!

"I'm pretty sure he cheated." Naruto yawned, lying flat on his back to look up at the clouds. His father had to leave all too soon, much to his dismay, because he had some kingly duties to do. Naruto made his father swear up and down that tonight they'd be able to have some time together, just the two of them.

A pinky promise was the last connection the two shared before his father was risked away into the duties of a royal.

"Bah, I'll gladly take the crown and title. It's all the work that comes with it that I'll ditch."

"You sound like a wonderful ruler."

Naruto sat up right at the sudden voice interrupting his self-talk. When had someone walked into the courtyard unnoticed? They had guards positioned at the North, South, West, East and all the directions in-between for what – they called – 'top notch security'. Yeah, obviously that worked _wonders _seeing as the raven was able to come in undetected.

Strangely enough, Naruto didn't feel the least bit surprised to find Sasuke there, in front of him, after two years of separation. All the dreams that weren't revolved around the mysterious raven and Kyuubi involved him and Sasuke enjoying time together like the best friends he wished they could be. He knew nothing about the stranger cloaked in black with eyes red like blood, but that didn't stop his heart from wanting to connect with the raven the instant they met all those years ago.

Smiling softly, Naruto tackled the raven to the ground in a bear hug. The raven yowled in protest, but he wasn't making any efforts to push the blonde off, so that was a plus. Giggling, Naruto flashed a smile that truly could dull the sun, blue eyes twinkling in delight, as he stared down at his long lost friend.

"You shouldn't talk to your prince like that."

Sasuke scoffed, pushing Naruto off so he could actually breathe without the added weight pressed against his chest. Although there was a strange, pleasant feeling of having a body compressed with his.

"As far as I'm concerned, you're a long shot away of telling _anyone _what to do. Let alone me."

"Pfft, I'll be able to change that, no problem!"

"Is that so?" Sasuke cocked his head in amusement. The two were easily slipping into friendly banter once more, just like they had two years ago. Time had separated them longer than either had wished, but the affects of coming back together was strong, prominent, and neither one knew what to do with such feelings welling up inside of them.

"Of course," Naruto replied haughtily, a grin painted across his face. "You came for me, didn't you? That shows your loyalty."

"Or I could have been bored and decided to seek some entertainment, Dobe."

"Hey, what the heck is with the nickname?" the blonde grabbed a handful of grass and threw it towards the raven, snorting superiorly at the look of annoyance that spread across the raven's face. "That's what you get, Teme!"

"So it's suddenly okay for you to call me names, but when I do it it's a sin?" Sasuke feigned the expression of a man who had just got his pride wounded. Naruto's expression didn't budge a bit. "You give new meaning to the word 'hypocrite'." The raven smirked, retaliating Naruto's attack with one of his own. This time, he scooped up two handfuls of grass and shoved one in Naruto's face while the other he put down Naruto's shirt.

It was such a childish action, something that, on a normal basis, Sasuke would never do. Naruto was anything _but _normal. He had the strange ability to bring out the child in Sasuke; the one he had to keep hidden from the world he called 'Home'. With Naruto, he felt the chains that repressed him become lighter than air, disappearing with the wind along with his horrible, stoic façade.

Naruto stuck his tongue out in disgust. The grass was sticking to his grin, it was so gross! Groaning, he tried to shake up the pieces of grass Sasuke had shoved out of his throat while attempting to lose the weird taste of grass in his mouth.

"Dude, I'm going to be tasting grass for the next week!"

Sasuke shrugged, not really caring about the matter. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the raven, attempting to bore all his irritated feelings into the raven's skull. When nothing was blowing up into flames, or Sasuke making any other indication that he was going to continue with their argument, Naruto flopped onto the ground, lying on his belly.

The cool, spring air caressed the raven's and the blonde's faces, leaving a pleasant tickle in its wake. Nature was in harmony at the moment; grass moved in time with the wind, dandelion fuzzies floated in the breeze, and the clouds rolled across the sky to reveal the welcoming rays of sun.

"Ne… Sasuke…" Naruto asked after a few moments of silence. He never liked the silence that filled in-between conversations at times. It always gave him the need to say something extra to fill in the void.

"Hn." Sasuke opened one, red eye looking at the blonde to the side. Naruto's nervous tension was radiating off of him like horrible body odor. The raven scowled slightly, whatever Naruto had to say or ask he could just say it without all the indecisiveness. "What is it?"

"Well… I wanted to know what your country is like." Blue eyes sparkled with curiosity and the enjoyment of learning something new. "I've always wanted to know, so I could come visit you some time. Is your country big or small? What's your ruler like? What do you guys do for fun?"

Sasuke couldn't help but laugh, truly, out right laugh at how enthusiastic Naruto was learning about his country. The laughter traveled through his system like a virus, causing his stomach to ache, his eyes to yell up in tears, and his heart felt lighter than it had in years.

Naruto pouted, glaring at the raven before punching him in the arm. "I'm being serious here, Teme!"

"I wasn't laughing at you, Dobe." Sasuke wiped stray tears away from his face as he tried to gather up the lost pieces of his composure. "I'm just surprised to see your interest in my country, as all."

"Oh… So, are you gonna tell me or not?"

"I was thinking of keeping you in suspense—"

"You better freakin' not, Sasuke!"

"—But I suppose I'll just have to tell you _all _about my boring country." A small smile tugged Sasuke's lips, completely unnoticeable unless you were staring right into his face, as he watched Naruto get into Indian style, fully intent on hearing what the raven had to say. Sasuke truly considered what he should and should not reveal to the blonde about his country. He had no idea if the blonde knew about the ugly relations between the Soleil Kingdom and the Luna Empire. If he led on that he was actually the prince of the Soleil's Kingdom's enemy country…

Sasuke shook his head away from his thoughts. The raven didn't want to think about seeing Naruto's back turned on him out of hatred and disgust.

"My country… is a little west of yours, actually. We have a monarchy, sort of like yours, although I can't say our royal family is well liked. Our country is constantly caught in internal conflict. There have been talks about a rebellion breaking out, but the number of supporters the king has outweighs the number of those who oppose the government." The raven released a sigh he had no idea he was holding. Memories of battles he had to witness between his own people sent cold shivers up and down his spine. The façade that there was peace in his country was slowly wearing away.

"Oh wow…" Naruto was dumbfounded, for a lack of better words. He's heard about civil conflicts, where people would fight against their government, but he never thought he'd actually be able to hear the accounts of it from someone who actually experienced such a thing. "Have you ever been caught up in a fight before…?"

"Luckily I haven't. Although there have been a few close calls…"

The blonde gulped audibly, regretting bringing up anything about Sasuke's country. Tension was thick in the air, so thick you could have cut it in half with a knife if you wished. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have brought it up."

The raven shook his head, a ghost of a smile flickered on his lips. "It doesn't really matter to me. All countries have their problems. Some tend to be more of an issue than others, but it's nothing a lot of time and agreements can't fix." He shrugged off the matter, ignoring how false his own words sounded to him. "On the bright side though, at nights when the full moon is out… you can see the brightest stars around."

"Seriously?" Naruto's eyes widened like saucers. The topic of stars had always fascinated him ever since he was a little boy. Sadly, though, due to his country's background the daylight held more beauty than the nighttime. So being able to point out constellations in the sky, or see the planets – anything astrological, was a rarity.

"Hn," Sasuke nodded. "It's like the whole galaxy was painted up in the sky by one, huge, artist. You can see all the individual planets, and the stars come out to dance; making up images that extend as far as your imagination." An eerie sense of peace washed over him as the images he stored away in his mind of the nighttime sky in his kingdom started to reel out like a movie strip. "It's a beautiful sight…"

"I'm so jealous…" Naruto let out in a whisper. The way Sasuke described the beauty of nighttime in his country made things more vivid for the blonde. He had the picture of stars dancing, twirling, having fun in their huge playground engrained in his mind. "I want to come visit your country some day."

Sasuke smiled, opening his mouth up to respond when a voice cut him off.

"Naruto, there you are!" Minato had a smile that spread from ear to ear on his face as he walked towards his son. He stopped in mid-stride, though, when he saw the other boy lying next to his son. "Ah, it seems like you've already met Sasuke-kun."

"You know Sasuke, Dad?" Alright, Naruto was horribly bewildered at why his father was being so calm about Sasuke in his courtyard unannounced; as if it was the most natural thing in the world to have a complete stranger spend time with your son. He turned to Sasuke for help, only to receive a shrug in response. "You're some help!" he spat out.

"Your father and brother have been looking for you, Sasuke. I know you're at the age when you want to let go of your parent's hands and walk on your own, but you should really tell them when you're about to head off by yourself."

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow, "I told Itachi where I was going. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't tell father to get a rise out of him."

Minato chuckled, feeling instant empathy for the father of two boys. That's why he only had _one _child to deal with.

"Oi, Dad, you know about Sasuke being here?"

Minato nodded, "I invited his family after all."

"Eh?" Alright, now Naruto was just lost in general. His eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. The dots weren't connecting at all. "Why would you invite them? Are they important or something?"

"I guess it's my fault for not telling you in the first place." The older blonde scratched the back of his head sheepishly, figuring out a way to put what he was about to say in simpler terms. "Simply putting it, Sasuke's father is the king of the Luna Empire. Just now, we were going over the new peace treaty between our two kingdoms."

… The dots were finally being connected.

"Wait, so that means Sasuke's a prince, right?" With each new dot being connected, another light bulb went off in Naruto's head.

"He's third in line in the throne behind his brother, if you wanted the actual specifics."

Naruto shot a glare Sasuke's way, wanting to beat the kid to a bloody pulp for not telling him anything in the first place. Sure, it was their first meeting in two years, but couldn't he have told him this sooner? A simple 'Oh, by the way I'm the prince of the Luna Empire, your country's enemy. Wanna be friends?' would have been nice!

"And you never told me, _why_, Sasuke?"

Sasuke merely shrugged, smirking out of pure amusement on the look of dramatic rage sprayed across the blonde's face. Really, it wasn't that big of a deal since he wouldn't be accepting the title of king anytime soon. He was basically the shadow following after his brother's shadow until it was his turn to rule the kingdom. Yes, he was proud of his strong lineage and what it entailed to be an Uchiha, but throwing in mindless information like he was third in line for the throne would have been pointless.

"Answer me, Uchiha!"

"You never asked, Dobe."

And that was that.

* * *

><p>Tell me what you guys think so far! If anything's confusing, I'll be happy to elaborate :D.<p>

Next update shall be on Friday :D. Lmfao, unless I feel like being generous.. again o.o.

Till next time :D.


	4. Stardust

I updated yesterday, but I did promise to update every Friday as well so... HERE YOU GUYS GO! :D.

**Disclaimer: Seriously I don't own Naruto. I used to, but then it just slipped through my fingers. **

This was my favorite chapter to write, by the way 8D. ENJOY!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four: Stardust<strong>

_"If only he knew what I felt about him. Things wouldn't be so complicated then." - Sasuke Uchiha, age 13.  
><em>  
>Sasuke grimaced at the added pressure to his neck. Why in the world he had to wear this godforsaken tie was utterly beneath him. If it weren't for the fact that both his father and brother warned him heavily about maintaining an appearance, Sasuke would have happily opted to not dress up and skip the ball together.<p>

Thoughts of blonde hair contrasting nicely with bright blue irises made the idea of going to the ball a little easier to manage.

"My don't you look dashing tonight, Otouto." Itachi chuckled, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed against his chest. The colors father had chosen for the tailor to make were brilliant and royal, but still holding onto the main colors of the Uchiha Lineage.

Dark, navy blue dress shirt adorned with the faintest traces of purple splashed on the form of embroidery or swirls along the cufflinks. On the breast pocket was their family crest. It showed power, wealth, and strength. With power brought recognition and spread fear into the hearts of many. Sasuke was proud of his bloodlines, the roots of his homeland.

Sasuke ran his hand through his hair a couple of times until it was sticking up just right. The tie was a nuisance, but he'd just have to bear with it with a scowl, he supposed. He studied himself in the mirror. His appearance was nice, although he was being extremely modest about it.

"You look fine, Sasuke." Itachi smirked, "Unless, of course, all this extra fuss over your appearance is because of a certain blonde..."

"Shut up. It has nothing to do with him."

"I never said it was a male. I could have been referring to that cute blonde maid who always checks you out whenever we go over to visit the Soleil Castle." Itachi smirked. He absolutely loved poking fun of his brother's immature crush on the blonde.

He remembered the day vividly when Sasuke ran up to him in a heap of confusion, looking for the answers that were dangling right in his face. Itachi couldn't blame his brother for the freak out, though, since he was only twelve when realization hit. Although Itachi highly doubted Sasuke had the ability to differentiate from like and intense brotherhood, but he wouldn't put it passed him.

Sasuke was a bright boy.

"I heard a lot of girls from neighboring countries will be there tonight. You'll be faced with a lot of competition."

Sasuke scowled. He was no stranger to the herd of pre-teens and teenage girls that came to the ball in hopes of marrying into royalty. The conversation between him and Naruto played through his mind again; a slight frown scarred his face.

"Oh trust me, I'm going to dance, but I bet I'll only get less than half of the girls on my case tonight. And that's only if they have the snuff to actually come up and talk to me."

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow, "Why do you say that?"

Naruto merely shrugged, slipping on his shoes as he talked. "Eh, I can't really say why, but I have this feeling that people only put up with me because I'm the prince."

"That's ridiculous."

Naruto shot a hard glare over his shoulder at the raven sitting at his desk. "Trust me... You don't see the looks they give me when I'm out by myself. It's like they're purposefully isolating me." Naruto tied his last shoe, pulling at the strings a couple of times until he was satisfied. "Don't give me that pitying look, Sasuke. Seriously, I'm not bothered by it. Either way I'd have people staring at me, so I just soak up the attention."

Although Naruto smiled, it never reached his eyes, and that made the raven rethink his observations on the blonde.

"I'll avoid them at all costs." Making his way for the door, not really in the mood to carry on the conversation, he was stopped dead in his tracks by his brother's heavy gaze.

"You know this relationship you wish to have won't last forever."

Itachi's words sunk into Sasuke's mind, his heart, his flesh. They stabbed at him, causing him to flinch involuntarily. He knew what Itachi was referring to - the mission that brought their fated meeting together.

The mission was supposed to be Intel retrieval. Find information about the Jinchuuriki prince. Sasuke was entitled with the job because he would be the least susceptible due to his young age. He was against it, at first, but he had to thank the council for giving him that mission.

Because of that mission, he had met the sun.

"I know that..." Sasuke quickly made a grab for the small little pouch on his desk and jammed it in his pocket. He then closed the distance between himself and the door and gripped the handle tightly. His voice wavered yet attempting to stay strong and grounded. "So let me enjoy the few moments I have with him before they're gone."

Itachi watched his brother disappear; sadness was being pumped overtime in his body. He shook his head sadly, pushing back stray bangs out of his face.

"He has no idea what he's getting into... the fool."

+Eclipse: Later that Night+

Laughter filled the ball room, illuminating the room with a light and feathery feeling. Paper lanterns were strewn across the room of various sizes; with the biggest one in the middle of the array giving off a reddish-orange glow. Colorful costumes moved to the beat of the orchestra, swaying and meshing together just having a good time.

Sasuke leaned against the balcony, hands idly in his pocket playing around with the small pouch he had picked out before storming the room. Itachi's words continued to play in his mind like a broken record player. He already knew one day this huge secret would be the wedge driving him from Naruto. The blonde would loose faith in him, refusing to speak for his shady intentions. Sasuke's heart constricted in his chest. It was protesting against the unpleasant thoughts, not being able to stand the possible future where the only thing Sasuke would see is the back of a hateful Naruto.

"This is supposed to be a party. Why are you acting like your tie is on to tight?"

Sasuke turned his head at the sound of the infectious giggle he had grown to like. There he was, the blonde on his thoughts stood with a huge grin on his face. The raven felt his breath get caught in his throat. Naruto looked... amazing. A bright orange half kimono flowed down Naruto's torso and stopped at the waist. Black genie pants accent with brilliant gold and orange held pockets on either side. To finish off the strange, yet appealing, outfit Naruto wore a pair of ninja sandals along with a fox mask that covered his eyes.

"Not bad," Sasuke smirked as he watched the blonde take his rightful place beside him. The stars - though not as bright as they were in the Luna Empire were still dazzling jewels playing in the sky. And the moon; it's light casted a heavenly glow on the blonde's face.

Naruto looked stunning.

"Thanks, at least someone liked my costume." Naruto rolled his eyes to the sky above before they landed on Sasuke's costume. "What are you supposed to be?"

"A royal," Sasuke replied with a smirk.

"Ha, ha, you're freaking hilarious. The whole point of a costume ball is to dress up like something you're not." Naruto crossed his arms, shivering slightly from the chilly autumn night. "Where's your spirit?"

"Left it at home, I suppose."

Naruto shook his head in mock shame, "You really need to get a better sense of humor, Sasuke."

"I found it pretty funny." Just for a little, Sasuke allowed a small smile to tug at his lips. That smile was only reserved for one person, though...

The blonde scoffed but held back a retort. Three years of friendship and on-and-off bickering have made him learned that getting into an argument with Sasuke was rather pointless.

That didn't mean it was any less fun, though.

Silence filled the space between the two royals. It was neither awkward nor unwelcome. The two fell into the slight ease the quiet could produce. Laughter and music filled their ears. Delicious smells promising a yummy aftertaste fluttered into their senses. But none of that mattered.

Sasuke was too enrapt in how... Well... Beautiful Naruto looked bathed in moonlight. And Naruto was too consumed with his thoughts on a certain raven to notice Sasuke's heavy staring.

Finally... The silence was cut open with the raven's next few words.

"Naruto, I have something for you..." Sasuke fumbled with the small object in his pocket. To be honest, Sasuke was at the world's end in his decision to give Naruto his gift. At first it was just a random thought that popped into his head. Before he knew it, the thought became an action and now he was placing the small pouch in Naruto's hands.

"What is this?" Naruto shook the pouch in the air, listening for the jingling sound of coins to resound in his hand. He didn't get any sound like that and was thoroughly confused why Sasuke would give him an empty pouch.

Curious onyx watched the blonde open up the velvet, deep purple, pouch in awe as the sand-like material spread across his finger tips.

_'Wait for it...' _he thought, an amused smirk took over his face when he heard Naruto voice his awe while the stardust danced and moved around his fingers, up his arms, and all around his shoulders like a living, breathing entity.

"Sasuke this is so cool!" Naruto giggled as the stardust brushed against his cheek. That was its way of saying thanks. "What is this?"

"It's Stardust. The magical properties in it allow the substance to move like it has a will of its own. When in reality it's waiting for a master to control and bend it at their fingertips." Sasuke took some of the stardust in his hand. He demonstrated how you could use it by controlling it with his fingers. The dust followed it's conducted without a second thought, drawing random images like a circle or a flower.

"Artists in my country use Stardust for their artworks. Others use it for the thrill of having something ready to do what they want without a second thought."

"Whoa..." Naruto twirled a finger, and the stardust instantly swirled around his finger. They sparkled in brilliant blues and dazzling purples with a hue of green thrown in between. Pinks and yellow sparkled on and off like tiny sparks of glittered. Stardust was playful and alive, waiting to be controlled.

"Okay, this settles it. I'm totally jealous of your country now." Naruto grinned wildly, moving the dust with his finger like a conductor of an orchestra. He drew stars and the sun. He drew a stick figure version of Sasuke and Him looking up at the night sky. Anything that came to his mind, Naruto drew with the Stardust.

"There's nothing to be jealous of." Sasuke came off as nonchalant but on the inside he was brimming over the top with pride. In his mind, the Soleil country had every right to brag that they were the better country. They had a stable government. No signs of a rebellion outbreak. Everything seemed peaceful in the land of the sun...

"Dude, we have nothing close to this in Soleil. The only cool thing we have are Sun Crystals but they're nothing compared to Stardust."

"One day... I'll take you to my country. And then you can have all the Stardust you want."

The blonde grinned from ear to ear; "I'll hold you to that, Teme." he stuck out his pinky waiting for the raven to lock pinkies with him.

Sasuke looked perplex, cocking his head to the side and stared at the finger. _'What does he want me to do?'  
><em>  
>Seeing that Sasuke wasn't going to do anything soon, Naruto rolled his eyes and grabbed the raven's hand. "You stick out your pinky, stupid. See, like this," he hooked their pinkies together, forming a tangible link between the two boys.<p>

Smiles played across their lips, thoughts racing in all sorts of direction. Even though their pinkies were separated, they still felt that invisible chain holding them together.

It was strong and sturdy now, but would it last forever?

"Ladies and gentleman, one and all, thank you for coming out tonight in honor of our three years of peace with the Luna Empire!" Minato's face suddenly appeared on the holo-screens, drawing everyone's attention from their conversations and onto the two kings.

While Minato dressed in earthly tones anointed with a few bright orange pieces, Fugaku's costume had more of a aristocrat feel. Dark, midnight, tones with hues of purple and splashes of deep blue here and there.

"Tonight is a celebration of unity between two, very different, countries!" Sasuke's father raised his wine glass with pride looking among the spectators. "The Eclipse Treaty is why we meet today as brothers and sisters rather than enemies. So enjoy tonight! Laugh and be merry!"

Minato replied with a hearty, "Hear, hear!" and clunk his glass with Fugaku's. The two men laughed, but their merriment was drowned once the orchestra picked up again. Slow, lethargic, but easy to dance to music filled the ball room. Men went to look for beautiful ladies to take part in such an occasion. Naruto and Sasuke looked at the crowd in dismay. Any moment now they knew a group of girls would be flocking over towards them, begging for a dance.

Naruto would be flustered, not used to this much attention from humans of the opposite gender. Sasuke would be irritated beyond belief, wishing that the girls would just leave them the hell alone and find other guys to dance with.

"U-Um… excuse me, Sasuke-sama, Naruto-sama."

The boys held in groans out of sheer politeness. The girl's voice sounded dainty and nervous, it would be down right mean to cut into her with words formed by irate emotions. Naruto was the first to 'break the ice'. He flashed the pink-haired girl an inviting smile. She was pretty cute in the blonde's mind. Petite with unnaturally (but she worked it) pink hair that was pinned up in a nice, curly, bun. A few stray curls framed her face, brining out her pale complexion and mint green eyes beautifully.

To Naruto, the girl was an absolute angel. To Sasuke, the girl seemed like some definite competition.

"There's no need to be so formal. Just call me Naruto, and you can call that guy over there plain ol' Sasuke. Right, Teme?"

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, not feeling the need to make any further statements than that.

The pink-haired beauty smiled in gratification, bowing slightly out of politeness. A soft, rosy, pink blush tinted her cheeks as her eyes skimmed over Sasuke's costume. She had specifically gone on a search for the younger raven in hopes that she could steal a quick dance or two with him. Being a simple common folk with dreams of marrying into royalty meant that she would do anything to capture the prince's attention.

"Yes, well… I was wondering if you would not mind sharing a dance with me… Sasuke-kun." Despite Naruto's earlier inclination, she still couldn't find the courage to act so familiar with a prince.

Naruto felt his heart drop a little. He had seen this coming but didn't want to acknowledge it. The world of a painfully bliss adolescent was too tempting to leave. It was pleasant to think that a pink-haired beauty would want to dance with _him_ not Sasuke. That was how it always went at these dances. Yes, he would dance with the occasional cute girl, but the one he really had his eye on would go for the raven.

If Sasuke wasn't his best friend, Naruto would have probably hated him. Didn't mean he didn't feel extremely jealous of Sasuke.

Sasuke silently took a glance at the blonde, studying his reaction and body language. From the blonde's crossed arms and awaiting look, Sasuke could come up with the conclusion that Naruto was jealous that this girl asked him to dance, and was waiting to see how he'd tackle the situation.

'_If I say no, Naruto's just going to yell at me. And if I say yes, Naruto's going to be angry with me.' _Sasuke exhaled a quiet sigh, weighing the pros and cons of each option. He could handle Naruto yelling at him to an extent. But Naruto being angry at him over jealousy issues would leave more damage than a simple scolding. _'Well that settles things. I feel sorry for the girl though…'_

"What's your name?" the raven asked.

"It's S-Sakura Haruno, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow at the girl's reddening face. He was used to girls flipping out over his looks it was something he'd grown accustomed to over the years. Girls would do the craziest things and act strange to either get his attention or because they were in a close enough distance that they didn't know what to do with themselves. It seemed farfetched, ridiculous, and something that only came out in movies but it was what it was.

"You have a wonderful name, very nice, but I'm sorry. I can not accept your invitation to dance."

"Oh…" Sakura hung her head in disappointment. Once again she had gotten her hopes up over a guy that was completely out of her reach; unobtainable.

"W-What?" Naruto did a quick double take of his best friend, wondering why the hell this guy could have rejected her so easily. Obviously she was attractive. Sure, Sasuke never really engaged in Naruto's conversations pertaining to the opposite sex, but he only pegged him as being a stick in the mud that didn't know how to step out of his comfort box. Now, he thought Sasuke had gone completely insane.

"Excuse us one moment, Sakura-chan." The blonde pulled the stunned raven by the sleeves off to a secluded corner of the balcony. "Sasuke, you really are a bastard you know that? Why'd you turn her down?"

"I thought how I did it was very civil." Sasuke shrugged his shoulders carelessly. "You know I could have been a lot worse than that. Besides…" he smiled in a prince-like manner that was acquired from years of practicing, taking Naruto's hand in his own. "I was hoping that my first dance would be with you."

"C-Come again?" Naruto was hearing things. That had to be it. There was no way Sasuke Uchiha could be asking him to dance. _'We're both guys!' _his mind screamed, but a small part of him – or maybe even larger than Naruto wished to acknowledge – was telling him that it actually wanted Sasuke to ask him to dance. To lead him out into the ballroom filled with colorful costumes, people are laughing, and the sweet smell of expensive wine and exotic spices filling their senses where they could get lost in the music.

"You heard me, Dobe. You're my dance partner. Now are you going to stand there gaping like a fish or are you going to take my hand and dance with me?"

Before Naruto could come up with a witty retort, his mind was still trying to catch up to his mouth; he was whisked away on to the dance floor by the raven. He looked over his shoulder at a stunned looking Sakura and shouted, "I'm really sorry about this! I hope you enjoy the rest of your night, Sakura-chan!"

"Y-Yeah…" Sakura waved lamely, dumbfounded. Her mind was still trying to make sense with what just happened. When the pieces finally came together, she threw her purse to the ground and kicked a nearby plant. "Damn it!"

+Eclipse: You lead and I'll follow+

"Do you even know how to Waltz?"

"Of course I know how!"

"Then why are you dancing like you have two left feet?"

"Because my partner doesn't know what the hell's he doing!"

"Sure, that's the reason why."

Naruto groaned out of pure frustration. Sasuke could be the most immature person he ever met no matter how much of a mask he tried to place; pretending to be more mature than he actually was. _'And people call me childish.' _Naruto scoffed, although the statement was true but he'd be ready to argue his side any day.

They two continued to dance, fumbling with their steps until their bodies started to tune together in perfect synch. When Sasuke took a step back, Naruto took a step forward. When Sasuke moved Naruto was right beside him, following and copying the move step for step. It wasn't the perfect waltz, but neither really cared. They would dance with their own style to the time of violins and cellos performing a duet.

'_I've never noticed this… but Sasuke's really pretty.' _Naruto gazed up into those onyx eyes. He could get lost in them forever… Those eyes that held so many secrets locked with them. That could change from unfathomable onyx to startling red in an instant. Naruto didn't know which set of eyes he liked more. The blood red ones that stared at him through the flames when he was younger, or the onyx ones that were staring at him with an emotion he couldn't place…

He shivered unconsciously at the look… What was that emotion anyways?

"Ne, Sasuke…"

"Hn?"

"Do you still have that scar on your left arm? From when we first met…?"

"I do." The scar was something that had left more than an imprint on the raven's skin. It was a symbol that this all really wasn't just some dream. That their meeting in the forest wasn't out of a stroke of luck but from fate working its hands and weaving their story's quilt. He hadn't forgotten the circumstances under which he met Naruto, but he would always be thankful to the Council for their mission.

"You wanna know something?" it was a rhetorical question, not really needing an answer for it. As they waltz, Naruto felt stranger emotions run through his system. They were all going so haywire he couldn't tell what they were. "I'm really happy I met you in that forest three years ago. I never let on to it… but I was actually pretty lonely. Yeah, I'm the prince and all but I can tell people don't really like me. That's why, when I met you, and you treated me like you were better than me – which pissed me off at first – I was… happy for some strange reason. Because for once, someone didn't look at me with hate, or tried to hold me up on some incredibly high pedestal. They were looking at _me_."

Sasuke had stopped dancing, frozen by the blonde's heartfelt confession. So he really _did _have an impact on Naruto's pact other than saving his life one day. Here he was, pouring out his heart to the raven, and he'd never know the real reason as to why he was in the forest that day.

His scar thumped numbly against his skin…

"Naruto—"

"Just hear me out, okay Sasuke?" for some strange reason that Naruto couldn't explain, he leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Sasuke's. "You're really important to me, Sasuke. And I'm glad the scars on our arms won't heal. It marks that our friendship started from something special."

"Dobe… you're too sentimental." Going against everything he believed in about personal contact, showing affection, and opening up his defenses, Sasuke pulled Naruto into a hug, resting his head on the blonde's shoulder. He could sense Naruto's surprise at the gesture – hell, it surprised him just as much as it did Naruto – but eased a little when he felt the blonde's arms wrap around his shoulders.

"You totally know how to ruin my moment, Teme." Naruto chuckled as their bodies swayed back and forth to the lethargic music notes playing in the air.

"I suppose it's a gift. In all seriousness though, Naruto… I'm really glad I met you too."

Naruto didn't have to say a word. His smile spoke volumes.

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><p>Reviews are highly welcomed :D!<p>

I'm off to Flordia tomorrow 8D. Gonna soak up some sun! I tell everyone I'm going to come back with a tan and they just go "Dude, you're already black!" and I told them to just shut up and let the moment pass o.o.

Anywho! See you next Friday :D.


	5. Rumors

Have no fear for Fallen is here with another update! :D. This morning was horribly tradgic. I'm waiting for the bus to come, and I see this squirrel running across the road. Then bam! A car comes out of literally nowhere and takes it out D: . I was freaking out. And all these cars were zooming by and I was like 'Don't hit it. Don't hit it Don't hit - Damn it!' because another car hit it and the squirrel flew, did 360, then fell.

So yeah, I'm pretty much scarred for life.

Thank you guys for your reviews! I replied to all of them. You guys keep me going and going :D.

Now on to the warning and Disclaimer! :D

**Warning: Kiba will be an asshole for the majority of this story. There is a reason for that. So for all Kiba fans out there... don't come and torch me v.v! You've been warned! And there's some major angsty/drama going down.**

**Disclaimer: Sometimes I get the feeling I own Naruto, only to have it stripped away. So sadly, I do not own such a wonderful thing v.v.**

Enjoy :]

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><p><strong>Chapter Five: Rumors<strong>

"_I'll change the way people look at me. Once I'm king, then they'll _have _to respect me!" – Naruto Uzumaki, age 13._

"Naruto Uzumaki come back here right now, damn it!"

"Like hell I will, Iruka!" Naruto jumped on his hover board, zooming out of the room like a golden streak of lightning. "Classes are officially over!"

In no time at all he was out of the palace gates and merging in with the city. The colors were vibrant, matching people's lively expressions. Everything was bright and sunny, it could make the grouchiest man want to jump and shout for joy. This was the kingdom Naruto wished to be a part of. A kingdom where there was no sadness or anger. Where he wouldn't have to fear that people hated him or looked down on him because of what he was…

'_What am I?'_

That was the certain question that would float through his mind from time to time. There had to be a reason why his people looked at him so… coldly. He was a prankster by nature – he'd admit to that. He was loud and obnoxious – he'd comply with that too. He could even be slow and stupid – he'd begrudgingly acknowledge that as well. But his pranks weren't that much of a big deal.

The only time they _ever _caused a huge ruckus was when he decided it was a brilliant idea to deface the statue of his father's face in the King's Square. But that was only because he was pissed off at his dad for grounding him over something 'stupid' and the act was out of retaliation. Besides, the paint was washable.

Naruto snickered at the memories. Although his dad seriously flipped over the act, he could tell his dad found it amusing. _'And why wouldn't he? Our sense of humor is pretty much the same.' _The blonde was in such a good mood, just taking the time to waste his day hovering around the city. _'Maybe I'll visit Deidara later.' _He thought, casually clasping his hands behind his back as he hummed a little tune.

His thoughts started to drift back to Sasuke after a few minutes of just wondering around.

'_I wonder what he's doing right now. Is he thinking of me?' _Naruto scoffed at his thoughts that were becoming more and more common everyday. At random times of the day he would find his mind drifting back to their annual ball a year ago. How it felt good to be lead by Sasuke in their version of the Waltz. _'I probably haven't even crossed his mind once…' _

The blonde let out a deflated sigh. How come just thinking about the raven prince could bring him to incredible highs and horrible lows within a few seconds? It was getting ridiculous how much of his time and energy he spent thinking about a guy who was in a whole other country!

"Damn it… What the hell is wrong with me?"

"You're a demon. That's what's wrong."

'_W-What?' _It was as if someone had just walked up to Naruto and slapped him right across the cheek. The words stung, like a million tiny needles being poked into his skin simultaneously. He didn't want to believe that those words were real. That someone had actually spat them out venomously with every intention to wound him. Accepting that would be like accepting the fact that he _was _different. That he harbored more than glares full of hatred from his people.

'_Maybe there really is something wrong with me…'_ Naruto hung his head low, blonde bangs covering shining blue eyes. He wouldn't cry on the streets, damn it! Not in front of these people who were whispering… pointing… glaring…

"_Look, it's the demon child!"_

"_Why is our land cursed with such a horrible thing?"_

"_How can the king act so proud about the abomination? If it were me I would have killed the boy."_

"_He brings shame to our land! Yet he's royalty. What a joke."_

Naruto zoomed off for the nearest safe haven he could find, eyes closed shut trying to suppress his tears. He wouldn't listen to them. He wouldn't let those words affect him. They were poison to his mind and heart. If he started to accept those words as true, then he'd lose all the faith he'd put in himself that he was normal…

"Deidara!" he barged into the local weapons shop, toppling over display objects and people as he collided into the chest of the owner. Deidara was like the older brother he never got to have. And not just because they both had blonde hair and blue eyes – that was just a plus. They both had the same love for pulling pranks. And, although Deidara was wildly known for his craftsmanship with weapons (especially explosives), his reputation would never be the same after his affair with Sasori the Demon Puppet Master.

It was all thanks to Naruto's dad that Deidara was able to make a fresh start, although the people of this kingdom were still weary of him; some even ridiculed.

Deidara wasted no time in wrapping his arms around the little blonde and scooping him up in his arms. Naruto was a trooper, strong willed and resilient. It took a lot to make the blonde cry as he was. Sobbing into his shirt like there was no tomorrow. Whoever brought him to this state was going to receive one serious ass whooping from Deidara personally.

"Oi quit cryin', you're getting snot all over my shirt." When the only reply he got was a sniffle and even more crying, Deidara ran a hand through the little blonde's hair; taking a more considerate and softer tone to his voice. "Whose ass am I blowin' up for makin' yah cry?"

"I don't think you have enough explosives for these guys…" Naruto mumbled into the older blonde's tear stained shirt. He felt utterly disgusted with himself for breaking down like that. _'Aren't I stronger than this?' _the words his people said skittered across his mind again, their poison causing a horrible sting to erupt through out his body. Their words caused him so much pain… so much… anger!

'_Why am I a demon anyways? I didn't do anything to those people yet they treat me like some monster… what the hell!" _

And before he could stop himself, Naruto was crying into Deidara's shirt again.

"Trust me, Kid, I always have enough dynamites. Did that little raven do this to yah? 'Cause I've got a big stick to shove up his ass if he did anythin' to hurt yah."

"It wasn't Sasuke…"

"… It was those fuckin' village idiots, huh?" at Naruto's slow, but reluctant, head nod Deidara clucked his tongue and shook his head. Same old bastards trying to act like they're holier-than-thou by alienated others that were different. Half of those people weren't even alive during the Kyuubi outbreak yet they act like Naruto had personally attacked each and everyone on of them. "No worries Kid. Just gimme the word and I'll level those creeps' houses for yah, un."

Naruto chuckled despite the raw scratchiness in his throat from crying so much. Deidara always had a funny way with words. Whenever the older blonde was truly ticked off Naruto swore every other word was about how much damage he could do with one explosion. And if the older blonde was happy then he'd go rambling on and on about his artwork. That's why he liked Deidara so much; he was a time bomb of randomness ready to explode at any moment.

"You don't have to go that far…" his people were mean to him, and maybe a small part of him was whispering all the ways he could get back at them for such rudeness, but he wasn't a baby anymore. Crying and acting out in retaliation would only get people even angrier at him. Right now it was like he was being pulled in opposite directions.

"Naruto, those creeps made you _cry_. Like, bawl on Deidara's shirt and permanently ingrain your tear stains cry. If you think I'm just going to sit here and do shit than you're fucking crazy." Deidara ruffled the blonde's hair affectionately, pulling him by the hair – gently of course – so Naruto could see his goofy smile. "You know what'll make everythin' better?"

Naruto perked up at this. Blue eyes that were rimmed red and moist with tears were now sparkling with anticipation from the older blonde's words. "Two scoops of ice cream topped with whip cream and sprinkles?"

Deidara shot the younger blonde on his lap a look of disbelief. "Are you fucking serious? Hell no. The only thing that'll make everythin' better is blowin' the shit out of stuff." Naruto pouted. Of course Deidara had to take the destructive route to make things better. At the blonde's sour look, Deidara let loose a hyena's cackle and ruffled Naruto's hair some more.

"God, you're such a fun brat to tease. C'mon, I've got your ice cream in the fridge for yah."

+Eclipse: Comfort food is the way to go+

"Ne… Deidara…"

"Yes, Blondie?" Using the pliers, Deidara took up the sword from the oven, inspecting the brilliant silver metal in the sunlight. It shone with elegance and fighting spirit; a blade ready to be wielded by a competent master. _'This'll be one hell of a sword to fight against in battle.'_ Proud of his work, Deidara placed the sword in a bath of water, watching in amusement as the water boiled at the contact of hot and cold coming together.

Naruto swirled his spoon around his now empty bowl of ice cream. It really had helped to make things everything better. A pinch of sweetness could make anyone smile from a depressing cry. His mind still played horrible tricks, replying those words over and over again, but the sugary sweetness of a buzzed teenager's mind kept the pain at bay.

Thoughts of a certain raven coming and going through his mind helped as well…

"What do you think about Sasuke?"

Deidara pulled back his glasses, the ones he used whenever he was crafting new weapons, making new artwork, or flirting, and cocked an eyebrow Naruto's way. He didn't miss the faraway look that was shining in those blue eyes and chuckled. Someone had Cupid's arrow lodged in his butt cheek today. _'I wonder if Blondie even knows what he's feelin' yet.'_

"You mean before or after he spilt punch on my costume?"

"I told you that was my fault! Next time I won't launch a sneak attack on him when he has punch in his hands."

"Smart choice," Deidara smirked, removing his gloves one by one and joining his little friend at the counter. He gazed at the blonde from the corner of his eye. This would be the time where he'd act like the responsible adult he was supposed to be and give Naruto advice.

Of course, that's not the sort of person Deidara was.

"I honestly think he's a prick." He deadpanned; not missing the glare Naruto shot him but chose to ignore it. "What? You asked, so I'm gonna tell it to yah straight. He's an Uchiha, and my passed experiences with an Uchiha aren't very pleasant—"

"When did you meet up with an Uchiha?" Naruto interrupted which resulted in Deidara smacking him upside the head.

"I'm speakin' right now, Blondie. Show some fuckin' courtesy." Dramatically rolling his eyes, Deidara placed both his elbows on the counter and leaned on the palms of his hands, puffing away a few blonde bangs from out of his face. "Anywho, where was I? Oh yeah, Uchihas and me, bad stuff. But from what I saw at the ball, he seems like he's a cool kid. He doesn't treat you half as bad as the pricks in this kingdom do. And he even stood up for yah when that douche bag – what was his name again?"

"Kiba," Naruto muttered under his breath.

"Yeah, that's who I meant. When Kiba stole your mask and was being a total asshole about it; I was cheering that little raven on when he personally punched that kid's lights out."

"So you think Sasuke's okay?" the blonde stood up a little straighter, eagerness flowing through him awaiting Deidara's response. He already thought of Sasuke as a friend. Even more so, going as far as calling him his best friend, and that took a lot considering Naruto didn't have many friends he could trust. If Deidara gave Sasuke the okay, then Naruto could take the next step and ask why the raven was always on his mind.

Deidara scratched his chin thoughtfully, mostly to get a rise out of the younger blonde. Smirking when he saw Naruto scowl in awaiting anticipation, Deidara threw his hands in the air dramatically with a loud groan. "I guess he's alright… for an Uchiha prick."

Naruto beamed with happiness. Throwing his arms around Deidara's neck, Naruto pulled him into a bone crushing hug. "Thanks, Deidara!"

"Why do you even need my opinion anyways, Blondie?" Deidara had finally pried the blonde off of him long enough to get his next question in – and sweet, precious, air into his lungs.

"Well… you see…"

"I thought I smelled something foul in here. Who would have thought the stenches belonged to the demon and the whore?" the voice cackled, along with its lackeys at the lame joke. Naruto's eyes shifted to the floor. There was that word again: demon. It seemed like any sentence that involved him had that heinous word following after it.

Deidara growled low in his throat. He had just gotten the blonde happen and now these bastards were ruining the damn moment! He didn't care what the hell these people thought of him, half of them he couldn't stand and he was only staying in this country because of the king and prince. But when they started to attack Naruto – still a freaking kid – that's when the claws came out; and a couple of sticks of dynamite.

"If you're not here to buy a weapon then I suggest you get the hell out of my shop." If glares could be weapons, Deidara's cold blue eyes would have sliced these three boys to ribbons.

"What are you gonna do if we don't, huh?" the obvious ring leader – because he was the only one with balls big enough to stand up to Deidara after that – stepped up with a cocky grin plastered on his face. "Are you gonna call your boyfriend here to fuck us up? Oh right, you can't because he's currently rotting in our jail right now isn't he?"

Deidara bit his tongue, holding back every curse word he'd picked up over the years. _'They're just kids. Brats with the idea that they're balls are big enough that they can act arrogant…' _he threw a sideways glance at Naruto. The small boy was shaking badly, spoon gripped in his hand. Naruto was going to explode soon, Deidara could see it coming.

He couldn't say he would feel too bad about the aftershocks it would cause for the three boys.

"Kiba…" Naruto started out slowly, grip on the spoon tightened. "I was easy on you at the ball. But if you think you can just fucking come in here and insult us both then you are really stupid! I don't care what the hell you have to say about me, but if you say one, more bad thing about Deidara I will personally kick your ass!"

Blue eyes shown with determination and anger; they were the eyes of a king ready to protect his own people from the enemy. Kiba gulped. He had just come into the shop noticing both blondes in there, thinking he could get a few laughs here and there. You could say he didn't hate them, but found it his duty to make cracks at their expense whenever the need arose.

When you grow up in an environment where you're trained to hate a certain someone, you feel compelled to do it.

"You sure got a lot of lip, Uzumaki." Kiba spat out. "You weren't this talkative at the ball. Why? Is it because your _boyfriend_ Uchiha was there?"

"Sasuke is not my boyfriend!" Naruto snapped, fighting back the blush that was trying to imperialize his face at the words.

"Of course he's not your boyfriend! That's why you guys were dancing like two lovers at the ball." The brunette pretended to gag, getting another round of laughs from his two cronies. "It was sickening to watch because all the girls wouldn't stop squealing about how cute you two were."

"Kiba, I don't care what the hell you think but Sasuke and I are nothing more than friends. Just because the girls wouldn't pay any attention to your sorry ass doesn't mean you have to take it out on us." Naruto dropped his spoon in the bowl, picked the empty bowl, and turned his back on the three. "If all the best you can do is come in here and crack lame jokes, point out your jealous insecurities, for the hell of it then leave. Because Deidara isn't the type of man you want to piss off; especially since he knows how to use every single one of these weapons."

"C'mon Kiba, I'd kinda like to walk out of here with all my body parts in place, yah know?" crony number one spoke timidly, placing a hand on Kiba's shoulder.

"Dude, let's go! I don't want to get my ass kicked by a mental whore and a monster!"

"Tch, whatever," Kiba brushed off the shoulder and turned to stomp towards the door. Before he left though, he threw a glance over his shoulder. A sneer was painted on his face. "FYI, Uzumaki, I'll never recognize a monster as king."

After the boys left, Deidara turned his attention back on Naruto. It had taken every chunk of his willpower not to kill those boys where they stood. Damn it all to hell if he got sent to prison for it, Minato would understand that those boys' death was because they were bullying Naruto. And well hell, he's always thought jail would be a fun place to go anyways.

"Blondie…"

"I'm fine, Deidara." Naruto said with a smile; a fake smile. It never reached to his eyes. Those eyes were tainted with hurt and misunderstanding. It was right then that Deidara wished he could have told Naruto everything. Why the people of Soleil were cruel to him. Why he was always being called a monster. Why he was cursed with such a wretched fate since birth. But he couldn't… It wasn't his place, and if Naruto learned from him Minato would personally hunt the older blonde done as repercussion.

"Don't you fucking lie to me, Blondie."

Naruto went for his hover board, activating the device and jumped on it. He threw a smile over his shoulder, a slight wave, and then he was off. A trail of tears followed behind him after his departure.

Deidara groaned heavily, dropping his face into the palm of his hands. _'One day I'm seriously going to blow this place up sky high.' _He pushed back from the counter and opened a drawer. Picking out around five sticks of dynamite, he made his way to the backyard. There stood about four of vie pieces of incomplete artwork that he swore he was going to finish one day but was now used for venting.

Deidara placed a stick of dynamite at the base of a headless statue. Lit the end of it, and started a silent countdown in his head.

'_3…2…1… KABOOM!'_

"Alright, who pissed you off this time?"

Deidara barely passed a glance at the red head behind him, simply allowing those strong arms to wrap around his torso as he relaxed into the embrace.

"Fuckin' brats… always doin' the same shit. They know absolutely nothin' about Naruto yet they go around like it's their freakin' duty to make his life miserable!" Deidara let out a sigh of annoyance, resting his head on his love's strong shoulders. "It pisses me off…"

"Immaturity is a phase," the red head chuckled, placing his chin on top of Deidara's head. "So, do you want me to go out and kill them?"

Deidara shook his head albeit reluctantly. "Nah, I wouldn't want to give people a reason to suspect you've 'escaped from prison'."

"Fine… I won't kill them. Is torturing alright?"

Deidara smirked, "Oh yes. Torturing is always alright."

+Eclipse: Am I a monster+

Minato was reading over documents one final time before he called it a day. He was both mentally and physically tired from yet another day of kingly duties. If it weren't court cases he had to deal with, it was trying to form alliances with the neighboring countries. And if it weren't all of that, it was him trying to help out the Luna Empire with their rebellion issues.

'_A vacation would be so nice right now…'_ he thought with a sigh. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Minato finally decided to call it a night. He snapped his holo-reader shut and made his way out of his study. The sweet calling of a fluffy bed with fresh washed sheets and plump pillows were calling out to him and it would be rude to refuse.

Opening his door, he toed off his shoes and made his way to the bed. He came to a halt, though, when he saw his son clutching onto a pillow and biting on his lip till it drew blood.

"Naruto, what are you doing up so late?" Minato's eyes flashed with concern for his son. Naruto never bit on his lips unless something was truly bothering him. And he'd never pass up precious moments of sleep either for the same reason. "Is something wrong?"

The blonde was silent for a few moments, but Minato didn't miss how Naruto's nails dug into the pillow and how his body was trembling. Naruto swallowed by a thick coat of weakness that was bubbling up his throat. He would get his answers… He _needed _to know a damn good reason why people hated him so much!

"Dad… what's wrong with me?"

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><p>It's a horrible thing when your kid has to ask you what's wrong with them... Once again, I'm sorry that Kiba turned out like this, but he won't stay like a prick forever :D. I promise!<p>

I hope you all enjoyed chapter give! I have chapter six all typed up and raring to go for next Friday.

Reviews would be absolutely lovely :]. I'm always waiting eagerly to hear your opinions.

Till next time :D


	6. Scouted

Song that helped me through editing this: Alice Nine - Mirror Ball. The Piano Version. Good stuff :]

Thanks for your review(s). I highly appreciate it :].

**Warning: Angst, as always, but some minor fluff 8D. If that even needs a warning...**

**Disclaimer: I had Naruto in the palms of my hands, only to have it snatched away.**

Enjoy :D

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><p><strong>Chapter Six: Scouted<strong>

_"From the minute I wielded my very first sword I knew I'd one day be a great warrior." __– Sasuke Uchiha, age 13._

Meditation always helped to calm Sasuke's mind whenever his thoughts we're being constantly invaded by a certain blonde prince. Almost like a broken record the raven prince would be tortured with the sounds of Naruto's infectious, wonderful laughter. He'd be force to relive the pleasant memories of his last visit in Soleil when he and Naruto had taken a day out in the city. Naruto was on his mind, day and night, and it looked like he would never leave.

_'I can't have these feelings.'_ he told himself over and over again, but his heart wouldn't listen_. _It refused to listen to such utter nonsense._ 'Father would be angry. My whole clan would shun me... My people... they'd never respect me again.' _

Sasuke growled out of frustration. Did it really matter what his people thought? Should he really forsake his happiness for the same people who were currently having a rebellion against the royal family? _'Relax... Breathe. Center yourself.'_ the mantra helped to slow down his erratic heart beat, calm his tingling nerves, and center his being. His thoughts were being placed in order, and he felt his heart become a little lighter. In a matter of minutes the prince had acquired an evened breathing system and cleared his mind of any and all distracting thoughts.

He was at one with peace, but only for a short while.

"You're going to catch a cold like that. At least put on a shirt if you're going to meditate, Otouto."

The younger raven winced slightly at the disturbance but made no inclination that he was going to open his eyes to fully address his brother. Not wearing a shirt; also something he wasn't going to address. Instead he guided his aura and settled it down to a more normal pace so his heart beat was beating regularly and his body wasn't placed in such a lethargic pace.

"Is there something you wanted, Aniki? If not, I'd like to return to my meditation."

Itachi was used to his brother's odd sense of politeness. It was highly respectable but still had a pinch of formal rudeness dancing along the edge. Chuckling, Itachi sat next to his brother and mimicked his sitting position. He even closed his eyes while he talked.

"Naruto on your mind again?" the only reaction he got was a subtle spike in his brother's aura. "Talking about it will better help sort out your thoughts."

Sasuke blew air out of his nose, but didn't object to Itachi's decision. Maybe voicing what was on his mind would make things easier to deal with. Lord only knew that Sasuke was getting no answers trying to debate alone. Opening his eyes, Sasuke directed his gaze to his patiently waiting brother.

"My heart hurts every time we're apart. I can't explain what I feel when ever I see that annoyingly goofy smile of his. It's like a blend of happiness, excitement and something... something more. Itachi, I will kill you if you release this to the general public, but Naruto is truly someone I will call a friend; my best friend. It's only been three years and he's able to do things to me without even trying that others have been attempting to do for years."

The younger raven chewed on his thumbnail, nibbling on it softly. His thoughts were becoming frazzling ends or string. They weren't making sense anymore! It was like he was running in complete circles. Naruto literally drove him to the ends of insanity.

But for some odd reason… he enjoyed that feeling of being driving insane by the blonde.

"And; that's all?"

Sasuke's head whipped up at the bored tone his brother produced. He literally growled at the passive look in those onyx eyes. "See? This is why I hate telling you about my problems!"

Itachi chuckled, which only resulted in adding more fuel to the fire, and reached over to flick his brother on the forehead. "You deserved that, Baka Otouto. Can you not even realize what you're feeling without turning it into some exponential crisis?" Sasuke merely scowled and his brother continued with a smirk proudly plastered on his face. "If you're too dense to figure out your own emotions, Otouto, than I shall leave you be to drown in your own stupidity."

"If you know, tell me, damn it!"

"Then your whole learning experience will be all for not." Itachi shook his head in mock exasperation and tapped the side of his chin thoughtfully. "However, I didn't come in here just to belittle you on your horrible skills of deduction."

Sasuke snorted and glared at his brother. "You could have fooled me. Well then,

Aniki, if you didn't come here to pick fun at me then why are you here?"

For a brief second, Itachi's eyes flickered with an unknown emotion and his lips pursed in a tight line. It didn't last very long. A tight smile crawled onto his face to replace his tight line, but it never quite reached his eyes.

"I actually came here to share some good news. Orochimaru-sama has decided to take you on as an apprentice."

"You're kidding!" Sasuke nearly jumped up out of excitement. Orochimaru didn't just pick random people out of the hat to train. Oh no, it was considered an honor among the people of the Luna empire to be chosen as an heir to his techniques. Sasuke was surely happy about the decision, and he had every intention to say yes, but why wasn't Itachi happy?

It was no unknown fact that Itachi was a prodigy when it came to matters of strategy and battle. Sasuke was slowly coming up behind him, struggling here and there, but he was catching up no doubt. The Uchiha siblings were known through out the western territories for their amazing skills in combat. You'd be one lucky duck to be able to survive in battle with them to tell the tale.

So, the fact that Orochimaru had chosen _him _to train made the excitement pulse through his veins double time.

"I do not kid. Orochimaru-sama is waiting for you in the weapon's room. It would be wise if you didn't—"

His younger brother was already out of the door before Itachi could finish his sentence. It seemed that Sasuke running out of the room before he could voice his opinions was starting to become a regular occurrence now. Sighing, Itachi reclined himself on the floor and stared up at the ceiling. One of these days Sasuke's impulsive nature would be the end of him. Itachi didn't want to have to face that day knowing he was right all along...

+Eclipse: I've Been Chosen+

Sasuke's heart was about to jump out of his chest and run a marathon around the castle. Excitement and nervousness coursed through out his whole body, sending his fingers into random spasms. He had to come off as calm, cool, and collected but the exhilaration coursing through his veins wasn't helping out at all. His footsteps quickened against the colored marble, echoing along the walls decorated with pictures of past successors.

_'I wonder why Itachi looked so upset.'_ he pondered on this a while, wondering why his brother wasn't elated as he was. The comical idea of Itachi actually being jealous that Orochimaru had scouted his younger brother instead of him sent Sasuke into a satisfied smile. He was always hoping and working towards topping his brother in something and now that day had finally come.

_'I can't wait to tell Naruto about this.'_

Sasuke opened up the door to the weapon's room. The room was littered with weapons raging from swords, to spears, to magic staves. Orochimaru was in the center of the room, examining a staff with keen interest. Sasuke instantly felt the butterflies in his stomach do a million and one summersaults for the first time. Orochimaru was considered the best at what he did. He trained the greatest – and very select few – warriors into epic fighting machines that were still feared till this day. The man was a king in his own rights with all the knowledge he held about the old and new world. It was pretty intimidating just to stand in the same room together.

The raven exhaled a breath he'd been holding. And with that, his worries expelled along with the breath.

"You wanted to see me, Orochimaru-sama?"

Golden eyes glittered with resound interest. "Ah, Sasuke-kun, glad to see you've come. I am guessing you've heard of my offer from your brother, yes?" at Sasuke's nod Orochimaru continued. "Have you considered already or would you like more time to decide?"

Sasuke wanted to open his mouth and say "Yes, teach me!" but the letters wouldn't form. Instead, a bother question voiced itself. "Why me? Out of all the other candidates you could have chosen from why me?"

Orochimaru cocked an eyebrow, studying the older raven with his gaze. Sasuke held back the urge to squirm. How could he ask such a stupid question? He had allowed his insecurities to slip through and now it could cost him such a wonderful opportunity.

'_Way to go, Sasuke. There's no way Orochimaru would pick you now. You've pretty much screwed yourself of any chance to get stronger…'_

Instead, Orochimaru chuckled, his snake-like tongue flicked out in delight. "Do you mean why I chose you over your brother?" Orochimaru had hit the bull's eye because Sasuke's body turned as rigid as an ice sculpture. "Let me answer your question with another question. What makes you think you do not have what it takes to become my pupil?"

The mentor twirled the staff between his fingers, feeling the dormant magic dance along his fingertips. Magic always kept him sane. It made situations easier to analyze and made people are the more easily to crush if needed.

"You see, Sasuke-kun, I am referred to most as a Nomad. I travel from country to country, kingdom to nation to struggling empire in search of Raw."

"Raw?" alright, now Sasuke was seriously lost.

"It's the term I use for individuals with natural talent. They were gifted by God with the power to wield the elements, spirits, or magic. The power to use any weapon they possess to their breaking points. The ability to deduce reasonably in the direst situations brought to them. I've searched for people with these attributes and more, and I have come across a few." the staff in his hand flickered a bright red, alive and burning. Orochimaru's eyes seemed even more yellow in the light. "In the end their talent wasn't enough and they were all... snuffed out."

The light disappeared.

A whole new round of nerves crackled alive but this time they were itching to climb further than than the other students. Orochimaru had chosen him over the rest, over his _brother_, because he felt like he had the gift to strive above the rest – to become the rightful heir to a vast library of knowledge and power.

He would have been a fool to turn down Orochimaru's offer.

"Sasuke-kun, I do not want you to feel rushed but I would like your answer soon. By Friday afternoon would be best. If you decide to take my offer, we shall set off by the end of the month and won't be back for three years. If you feel that you are ready to leave your life behind, then I shall be ready to teach you."

Orochimaru stuck his hand out, waiting for a reaction. Sasuke stared at the hand, weighing the pros and cons of making the 'contract'. If he took up the offer he'd be separated from Naruto for three years. He didn't know if his heart could take the ache of separation and his mind the pain from insanity.

Sasuke didn't know if he was ready for this. Naruto held a huge part of his heart. He couldn't just drop what he had with the blonde prince to train. Three years was a lot of time. Anything could happen between now and then. The two could grow apart, never truly being the same again. Sasuke couldn't grasp the thought of a world where he and Naruto could see eye to eye with one another.

But in those golden eyes there held promises of power... So much power...

Could he _really_ drop Naruto for such a thing?

Finally, after many grueling moments, Sasuke gripped the man's hand.

"You'll definitely get an answer from me."

+Eclipse+

Naruto had contacted the raven prior to his father's visit to the Soleil Kingdom with the simple message that they needed to talk. Sasuke frowned when he reread over the message on his Palm Reader. Normally whenever Naruto sent him a text, there were a variety of smileys sprinkled in the message. This message, however, was void of all emotion.

_We need 2 talk. _

The raven had wanted to use this visit to tell Naruto the good news about being chosen as Orochimaru's pupil. Now his first and major priority was to find Naruto. He needed to know what made the blonde sad in the first place, so he could do everything in his power to make him happy once again.

Sasuke found Naruto sitting by the pond, staring at his shaky reflection. There was a serious droop in his shoulders and his aura was screaming sadness and rage all mixed into one. Sasuke gulped. He was seriously reconsidering telling Naruto about his decision, and just staying here.

The urge to stay and comfort the blonde was strong.

"Sorry it took so long." Sasuke sat by his best friend, noticing how Naruto just nodded and didn't try to bite his head off for being late. "Aren't you going to flip out? Scream? Do something?"

Naruto tensed, gripping his fists, nails digging into his skin. How long had it been since his father finally decided to let him in on the little secret? Was it a few hours? Maybe even a couple of days ago? Just how much of his life was one horrible lie?

He was furious! Absolutely, maddening, furious! His father was the sole reason why people resented him; looked down on him. He literally screwed him over from the get go.

Who could he trust anymore if his own father deceived him like this? The raven's name was the first to pop out on his mind. And that's why he didn't waste any time trying to contact his best friend.

"You know... I was always confused why people hated me." Naruto's eyes clouded over with subtle rage, changing from bright blue to a stormy grey. "I thought it was because of my personality. I can be really obnoxious sometimes. But then I realized something... Maybe they looked at me weird it because I was different. Or maybe I had something they were all jealous of. I am the prince after all, so that sort of made sense.

The blonde laughed, but it was dry and humorless. "What a lie! Do you want to know the real reason why people hate me, Sasuke? Because trust me its one funny story."

The older raven visibly cringed at the cold and angered look in Naruto's eyes. This was the first time he'd ever seen Naruto look so mad. For a split second he even thought he saw those eyes flash red. He swallowed deeply. He already knew the answer Naruto was going to say. He already knew everything about his history. He already knew what horrible secret Naruto was forced to keep every since birth.

Yet he still asked why.

"Because I'm a monster, that's why!" Tears flowed down Naruto's face and he started to rip at the grass in blind fury. He hated this acceptance. He hated voicing out the horrible secret that would probably drive Sasuke away from him. The secret that kept him up at nights and mocked him for what he was. For the first time in years Naruto hated his existence and just wanted to die.

"Naruto... You're not a monster." Sasuke was there in a flash, wiping away those tears. Naruto flinched at the contact. Sasuke shouldn't be touching him so gently; lovingly. He should be turning away in disgust to leave Naruto in a pile of pathetic tears. Naruto hated this kindness. It made him feel even more weak and fragile. But at the same time he yearned to just throw every problem away and fling himself in to Sasuke's arms.

"No Sasuke, I am!" Naruto slapped the hand away and turned his gaze back towards the water. He hated his reflection. He looked so...ugly. "Kyuubi, the fox from my dreams I told you about, is the same demon that attacked the kingdom thirteen years ago. It was going to destroy the whole country. My father was the one to save everyone. But here's the good part: He sealed the demon inside of me!"

This time the tears tumbled haphazardly down his cheeks and his voice was cracking with sobs. He felt like the air around him was becoming thin. Like he was trapped in a box that was shrinking and shrinking at a incredibly fast rate.

"He told me that he did it because it would make me a hero! That the power I would get from Kyuubi would one day make me a strong king to be feared! I've already got the feared part down no problem. My own people are afraid of me!"

It was like all the words he wanted to say out of comfort wouldn't come. They were frozen in his mouth. He couldn't move. Guilt was ridding on his shoulders. Would it have been easier if he had told Naruto himself about the Kyuubi? Would there have been another way to prevent Naruto from having such an emotional breakdown in front of him.

Before he could register what was happening Naruto flung himself into Sasuke's arms and held onto him tightly. Instinct took over and Sasuke's fingers were stroking through golden locks. The boy's body was shaking like a leaf.

"Naruto," he whispered over and over again. That was all he could say. Words would be no use. Actions would be the key for comfort.

"Sasuke..." Naruto felt so weak, so fragile. But in Sasuke's arms he felt warm and protected. Sasuke was the only person he knew who could make him feel like this. Like a human. Sasuke would always be the only one who made him feel normal. "You won't hate me, right? Please promise me you won't look at me any differently. I won't be able to take it if you leave because of what I am." his body started to tremble, his grip around Sasuke's neck tightened. Fear that he'd no longer to feel this embrace rocked his body to the core.

A kiss to the forehead issued a silent promise, one that made Naruto escape into the simple ease of the touch. The skin where Sasuke's lips touched burned but it was a pleasant sensation.

"I promise, Naruto, I would never leave you because of this. No matter what I'll stand here by your side and protect you... I give you my word."

New tears fell but this time out of joy of finding someone like Sasuke. It was comforting knowing that he had made such a loyal friend. Someone he knew he could call on for times like these, when he felt so defenseless to the world around him. When he doubted himself and hated the being he was. Sasuke would be there. He'd be there to clean up the tears, to mask the pain, and to bring him up from the darkness he almost willingly fell into.

Sasuke would always be the one that he'd call his light.

The two princes stood there in each others arms and didn't move until the sun began to set in the sky.

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><p>Phew, another chapter done and posted!<p>

Please do review! I love hearing your opinions, and constructive critiscism is always welcomed. :D

LOVE YOU ALL UBERLY.

Till next time ^^.


	7. Council

Not many reviews this time... :/ Sigh. I shall live. I write as a hobby to entertain myself, anyways.

But thank you to the one person that did review last time :D. I appreicate it! ^^.

**Warning: A new pairing appears! But who it is... You'll just have to read and see ;D. Mild angst/drama but what else is new?**

_**'blah blah blah' **_is when Naruto's other "presence" speaks. I think you all shall be able to figure out who it is. ;DD.

**Disclaimer: If I had Naruto then Sasuke would have never left. Narut and Sasuke would have hooked up. And Minato would still be alive. Sadly... no such thing has happened v.v.**

Enjoy :D.

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><p><strong>Chapter Seven: Council<strong>

"_I can't even trust my own father anymore." – Naruto Uzumaki, age 13._

If there was one thing Naruto couldn't stand, it was council meetings. Every other Sunday the council comprised of thirteen members, including the king, met to discuss political issues, court cases, how to make Soleil a better place, among other things. Since Naruto was only thirteen, and just a prince, he had no say in what goes or stays in the meetings. All he did was sit there and try to ignore the glares of hatred being directed at him.

At first the glares bothered him only because he didn't know why he was receiving them. Now they bothered him for whole other reasons.

Naruto partially blamed his father for this. It was Minato's idea in the first place to involve his son in the council meetings. He used the ploy of telling Naruto that once he took over the throne such meetings would be a regular thing. He was only getting Naruto ready for the future. But honestly, Naruto found council meetings a waste of time. It was more often than not that the council ended on a disagreeing note rather than a common ground on an issue.

'_Why even have the damn meetings in the first place if they can't agree on anything?' _Naruto scowled, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for his father to make an appearance. He was still mad at him; borderline furious. How could he have kept a secret like that from him forthirteen years? It boggled the blonde's mind to the extent that trying to wraphis mind around the idea produced a minor migraine. There were so many questions Naruto wanted to scream in his father's face.

_Why me?_

_Do you hate me?_

_Am I truly just a monster?_

_Do I even deserve the crown?_

At nights, Naruto would wake up with tears streaming down his face and a near panic attack from nightmares. Nightmares that involved his own people slaughtering and condemning him for harboring a monster he had no say about controlling in the first place. On those nights he would wonder when Kyuubi would rise up and try to gain control of his body. It scared him; chilling Naruto to the bone.

He didn't want to succumb to the monster trapped inside of him.

Lost in his own thoughts, Naruto missed the sound of shoes tapping against perfectly polished floor tiles. He also didn't notice strong and warm hands coming out to ruffle his spiky, golden locks.

"Hello? Anyone in that head of yours or is it just plain empty?" Minato cracked a grin, hoping some fatherly teasing would open Naruto up. Sadly, it had the opposite effect since Naruto growled and slapped his hand away. The slap barely stung, but the reason behind it did. For the first time in years Minato felt like he had failed.

'_The secret was supposed to protect Naruto…'_ Minato sighed when Naruto mumbled a

'Hi' and entered into the council room by himself. _'Now he hates me. But I can not blame him. I kept him from this and allowed him to grow up in painful ignorance.'_ The king walked to his chair at the head of the table and sat down, still lost in his own thoughts. _'Would it have been better to have told Naruto in the first place? Would he even be able to handle it at such a young age?'_

These questions haunted his mind for the next five minutes until all the council members were all present and accounted for.

"Rise and shine, Minato. I don't want to be here just as much as you do but I'm sucking it up anyways." Second seat next to the King's Chair, known for her quick wit and exceptional medical expertise, Tsunade smiled lazily with an empty cup of sake in her left hand. No worries, she was somewhat sober to deal with a room of uptight council members.

"I'm wide awake, thank you Tsunade." Minato jokingly sneered. Tsunade just raised her glass in response. "Alright, let's get down to business shall we?" Everyone nodded and made their grunts of agreements. With any luck, today's council meeting would run smoothly and only one chair would be thrown towards another member of the council. Sadly, Minato's luck was slowly running out.

"I would like to bring up a rather pertinent issue, your highness." a hand shot up in the air and all eyes turned towards the owner of that hand. A round of, failed suppressed, groans emitted from the room. Inoichi Yamanaka always had to put in his own two cents in every council meeting. And every time it was the same subject he would put up for debate. It never went here and there because honestly the topic wasn't even necessary to discuess. Inoichi just liked to hear the sound of his own voice echoing around the room.

Naruto groaned inwardly and dropped his face into the palm of his hand, stifling a yawn. Who knows, maybe he could get some much needed sleep while he was in here. Heaven knows he hadn't slept properly ever since the truth made itself visible...

"I suggest we skip what that fool has to say and actually open the discussion to a more concerning issue." Pein, always wise beyond his years, and the youngest council member, was the one Naruto had to deem as his favorite on the council. Not only had he known the man since childhood, Pein was real, didn't make any judgments without any solid evidence, and always had the right thing to say. Never mind his weird, orange spiky hair or multiple face piercings, the man was as cool as all get-out.

Minato nodded earnestly, he too held a liking for the younger man and decided to go along his route. "Pein, the floor is open to whatever you'd like to address."

Pein nodded. "It's about the growing revolt in the Luna Empire. Their military is strong, and with our combined forces we thought this would be an easy battle. Obviously we were wrong to second guess them. As the Empire's ally, we're doing everything we can to stop the rebellion, but we can't keep losing all these civilians. Even our own men have been wounded!"

Mutters flew around the room like wildfire. Fear always seemed to spark such gossip. Naruto's own interest was starting to flare, and his thoughts ran into a complete circle back to Sasuke.

_'Is he alright?'_ Worry started to feed in to him, his heart constricted at the thought of Sasuke being hurt due to a civil conflict. Sasuke was royalty, and that fact instantly put him on the rebels' most wanted list. If Sasuke were to die because of this...

_'No,'_ Naruto shook his head, brushing off the bad thoughts that wanted to poison his mind. _'Sasuke's strong. he'll definitely be able to protect himself...'_

_**'But what if he can't?'**_ another voice sneered in his mind. It held an animalistic edge, full of venom that made it seem almost real instead of a figment of his imagination.

_'Then I'll be the one protecting him. I'll never let anyone hurt him...' _

With that, the voice went away but Naruto knew it would come back again. It always did; coming back to mock him and make the blonde doubt himself. He never listened to the voice though, and played it off as that sneering conscious people made to hold a debate with themselves. He never wanted to pin it on his deepest fears that lurked deep within him...

"I've been hearing talk that the rebel leader has made his identity known to the rebels." Tsunade scowled, shaking her head at the incredulity of it all, and went for her sake bottle to pour another glass. "Apparently these people never even saw this guy's face until a few days ago."

"You mean they've been blindly taking orders for the past two years?" One member spoke out, and soon everyone was muttering about their own fears and concern.

Minato scanned the situation. He too was a concerned about the news, not frightened, but worried. Seeing everyone else go into an uproar wasn't helping at all to keep the peace and maintain order in the council. The mutters increased, and along with that Minato's headache increased.

So, he grabbed his gavel, slammed it against the table top a few times, and demanded silence. He smiled with a satisfied grin as a hush fell across the members.

"Excellent. Now are we done acting like scared children?" the members nodded slowly albeit Pein and Tsunade who were smirking their heads off with how whipped the council was. "Tsunade, do you have any information about who the rebel leader is?"

Tsunade shook her head. "I've heard a variety of descriptions. He's cloaked in the shadows of the night and the only thing that defines him is his golden pair of eyes. Others say his body is like a snake and his venom twice as deadly."

"So basically we have no idea as to what this man looks like." Minato stated and Tsunade nodded. This conversation was starting to go into a circular argument. Continuing would be absolutely pointless by now. Minato sighed, deciding it was time to bring this conversation to a close.

"Does anyone have anything else to say about this matter?"

No one said a word.

"Then let's move on. Would anyone else like to bring a topic up or can I close the discussion?"

"My king, please hear me out!" one of the council members called out. He was old and had been in Soleil for many years. He always put the people first above anything else. Soleil's bright future was what he aimed for; and he'd do anything to obtain it.

Minato nodded, urging the man to continue.

"We all know that thirteen years ago our kingdom was attacked by the Kyuubi..."

Naruto's head shot up like a rocket at how calmly the man approached the topic.

Obviously he didn't care that the current vessel of said demon was sitting in the same room right now or else he wouldn't have brought up the topic in the first place. Everyone's breath hitched slightly, albeit Pein and Minato. Minato was trying to simmer down his anger enough so that he wouldn't personally execute the fool himself. While Pein was curiously watching to see what the man would say next.

Naruto was looking for the fastest escape route possible.

"What are you trying to get at?" Minato's voice was flat, perfectly masking his emotions under his placid kingly facade. He didn't dare to spare a glance at his son. It was hard enough to tell Naruto about Kyuubi and how he had to seal the beast inside of him. Now a council member was bluntly bringing out the topic. And sadly, Minato had the feeling that whatever this man had to say would not be pleasant.

"My king, we all know that Prince Naruto had to have a heavy burden placed on him since birth. I'm only suggesting that we treat that responsibility as a gift and train the boy to fully utilize the Kyuubi's powers."

"You're suggesting using Naruto as a weapon." Pein stated simply. All eyes, including Naruto's, whipped to stare at the ever-calm Pein sitting with his fingers clasped. Naruto felt bile rise up in his throat.

_'They want to use me as a weapon...'_ the room seemed to shrink and shrink. Naruto couldn't think straight, he couldn't breathe properly. He wanted to escape from this room where everyone was gazing at him; expecting an outburst. He couldn't bear to look at his father. He didn't want to see disappointment and disgust in those scarily similar blue eyes.

_**'Foolish humans... t**__**hey think they can tame a beast; laughable.'**_

"Do not warp my words, Pein." the elderly council man snapped. Pein merely shrugged. Everyone knew that was what he meant anyways. He was just waiting for the order from Minato to rid the council of one less council member. "I am merely saying that we should start to train the prince in case an emergency breaks out."

"This all sounds like you're trying to use the boy as a weapon." Tsunade pointed out, neither accusing nor agreeing. "You do realize that Naruto is only thirteen, correct? What if he doesn't wish to acknowledge the demon's presence? You can not force someone to do your bidding for your own selfish gain."

"I'm only thinking of Soleil's future!" the enraged council member slammed his fists on the wooden table. His temples were throbbing in an erratic pace and his heart rate was starting to pick up. "There is still the possibility that war could break out between us and another country. Naruto's powers would be the perfect upper hand we need to—"

The member's sentence was cut off noticing how close Minato's gavel was to landing in his throat. Instead, the gavel was lodged in the wall idly dangling there while hardened blue eyes were sending the man promises of death if he continued such stupid suggestions.

"I will not sit here and allow you to talk so rudely in the presence of my son. Either apologize to Naruto, or I'll make sure the next object I throw at you does not miss." If looks could kill, the elderly council member would have died right there and then from Minato's deathly gaze. Turning his gaze to Naruto, Minato wished to do nothing more than to wipe that shadow covering Naruto's eyes and cheer up his son's spirit. But how could he do it? Naruto had lost all trust in him, and rightfully so. He had to live in the dark about a secret (a rather huge one at that) for most of his life. He suffered from the daily taunts and glares he got from the people he was one day supposed to lead.

'_If I had told him sooner, would I have saved him from all those nights he stayed awake crying?'_

Meanwhile Naruto sat there, body experiencing the random spouts of a violent tremor fueled by his anger here and there. He was about to explode on someone if all that whispering didn't stop. And heaven forbid if that annoying voice in his head didn't shut up he was going to jump off a fucking bridge!

'_**Look at the old bastard. He can't say a word now – serves the fool right for trying to bring up the idea of using me as a weapon.'**_

"_I always thought that man was an idiot. Today has just proved me right. Using that boy as a weapon; absolutely incredulous."_

"_I rather supported his idea. He has the power. Let him use it for our side."_

"_But he's just a boy! You can't expect him to fully harness the demon's power without killing himself in the process."_

'_Everyone just shut up…'_ fingernails dug into the skin of his palm, a light trickle of blood flowed freely from the small gash. Couldn't everyone shut up? It wasn't like he was deaf. He could hear what everyone was saying perfectly thanks to his damned acute hearing. What made him feel the most vulnerable, though, was the fact that his father's gaze never left him. Naruto knew his father was waiting for a reaction, and Naruto didn't know if he wanted to give his father one or not. He just wanted to disappear. Spontaneously combust or whatever you called it so that he didn't have to deal with all these annoying voices.

No… he didn't want to only disappear. He wanted to go off and be with Sasuke. With Sasuke he didn't have to worry about being gossiped about, or being ridiculed for what he was. Sasuke was his best friend. Sasuke was his pillar of support. Without Sasuke, Naruto saw himself crumbling and crumbling under the heavy pressure weighted on his shoulders.

Suddenly… Naruto snapped.

"Will everyone shut up for five seconds already?" the chair toppled over, clattering to the cloud loudly as silence filled the room. Naruto was breathing heavily, the anger and annoyance filling his veins as he huffed and puffed. "I'm not deaf, you know! I can hear you all just fine! I will _not _be used as your stupid little weapon so you all can have the upper hand with your enemies. I am a human being, damn it! I have feelings. I have my own thoughts and opinions on things. Stop treating me like I'm just some mindless demon…"

"Naruto…" Minato stretched his hand to rest on Naruto's shoulder, but quickly withdrew it. Naruto was out the door faster than he could make contact with him. "Naruto!" he screamed and ran out the door after his son.

The council was left in stunned silence. Tsunade, however, was refilling her cup of sake and taking a hearty swig of it. She hated these people, albeit a very slim few of the members she could actually stand, but these meetings were sure entertaining. Pein, on the other hand, was watching with silent amusement at the embarrassed, shocked, and stunned expressions that befell some of the council members.

"Well?" Pein asked slowly. "What are you all waiting for? Meeting adjourned."

+Eclipse: Treat Me like a Human Being+

'_I am not a monster.'_

'_I am not a weapon.'_

'_I am me. Naruto Uzumaki. Those bastards can't tell me what to become. They can't tell me what to do. They have no power over me.'_

'_**That's right, brat. Run away from all your problems. Of course you're nothing more than a normal human being. A human being with a terrible **__**demon locked within… There's nothing abnormal with that.'**_

"Shut up already!" Naruto screamed, falling to the floor as he gripped the sides of his head. That same, annoying, voice was laughing hysterical at the blonde's breakdown. It was enjoying every single, precious moment watching Naruto slowly slip away into insanity. "Do you _ever _stop talking? Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

Tears were running haphazardly down Naruto's face as he curled up into a little ball on the floor. He felt so utterly pathetic. Like the little child he still was. Utterly, completely, disgustingly, _pathetic_. He'd be internally grateful if he could just melt into the floor.

That was how Minato found Naruto, shaking in a little ball on the floor. The king felt his heart being stabbed repeatedly, his heart strings being ripped forcibly one by one. Deep down, he knew that he was the one that invoked this much pain on Naruto, intentionally or not. This wasn't the first time Minato regretted the decision he made in sealing Kyuubi inside of his son. But now… now he wished he could have found another way to have handled the situation differently thirteen years ago.

Cautiously, Minato stepped, one foot after the other, to the form of his weeping son. He knelt down and placed a placating hand on Naruto's back, rubbing circles on the sobbing body. Would scooping his little boy in his arms push the invisible boundaries Naruto had placed…?

"Naruto…" he whispered softly. All he got in reply was a chocked sob. "Come on, Naruto. Look at me…" Minato slowly coaxed Naruto into a sitting position. Not a minute later and Naruto had thrown himself into his father's arms, gripping onto his shoulders tightly.

Words ran into each other like a train wreck. Naruto's sentences weren't making sense, but Minato was able to decipher them perfectly. _'I'm sorry'_ and _'Don't hate me'_ floated around the room. They were all laced with tear drops that cascaded onto the floor one by one. Minato just held on to his son tightly, allowing every ounce of emotion to be unleashed right there and then. All of Naruto's pent up anger, frustration, fears, sadness, confusion, were all brought out in the open in a series of tears and fumbled sentences.

Finally, Naruto hiccupped and wiped the tears out of his eyes. The crying had felt… strangely good. Like someone had lifted an enormous weight off of his shoulders. Granted, a good cry was never going to fix the pain of knowing people hated him because of Kyuubi. And that their judgment may never change. But he felt a lot better than he had a few days ago.

Naruto weakly laid his head on his father's strong shoulders, exhaling a sigh knowing that later on he'd get a massive headache from such serious sobbing. "Some hero I am huh…?" he scoffed bitterly, "I must be one big disappointment to you, Dad."

Minato shook his head. "You'll never be a disappointment to me, Naruto. I know my choices I made have had… a negative effect on you. But I had my reasons, you know that. And you _are _a hero, Naruto. Most people are just too ignorant to acknowledge that."

"It's hard, Dad… I'm supposed to be king one day but how will I ever get people to follow me if they're afraid and hate me?" Naruto gripped on his bangs, pulling at the hair as he chewed on his bottom lip. Running circles like this was becoming so stressful. Sometimes he wished he could have been born as a _normal _child to a _normal _child. No connections to royalty, no demon locked inside of him, just a regular lifestyle.

Things would have been so much simpler then.

His father pulled Naruto back at arm's length so he could show him a smile and a warm gaze. "Naruto, you have the makings of being a wonderful king. You have the ability to make people follow you. I can see it in your eyes. You just have to go out there and make people see it too." Minato ruffled Naruto's hand, laughing at the childish pout Naruto shot him in response. "And if charisma doesn't work, you were always gifted with my stunning good looks to wow the crowd."

Naruto shook his head laughing. God, his father always knew the right words to say to ruin a sentimental moment – but he loved him for that anyways. The two blondes hugged again, all their promises and reassurances flowed through the embrace, until Naruto had to leave for his evening studies.

Once his son had disappeared around the corner, Minato exhaled a heavy sigh he didn't realize he was holding in the first place and laid back on the floor, staring at the ceiling. His eyes traveled along the beautiful painting a very good friend of his had drawn for this part of the kingdom. It was a scenery image of the mountain ranges that separated Soleil from the Luna Empire. The moon and the sun were joined together in an eclipse, a million stars dancing around them celebrating the union of two, separate entities. The painting symbolized the harmony between the two countries with major differences. It was meant to promote peace and stability.

The painting, labeled Eclipse (very original of the artist), was Minato's favorite piece of artwork in the castle. It gave him a strange sense of calmness whenever kingly duties got too tough for him to handle. It reminded him that peace truly _was _obtainable if you worked hard enough for it.

But there always that silent question in the back of his mind asking how long the peace would stay…

"The floor is horrible dirty, my lord. You wouldn't want to dirty that exquisite robe of yours."

Minato merely cocked an eyebrow at the voice, instantly knowing who it belonged to. He sat up and turned to meet Pein's ringed eyes staring at him in mirth. Minato simply smirked and beckoned for the man to come join him on the floor. Pein looked playfully offended, but submitted to his king's wishes and sat on the floor with him.

"I was eavesdropping." Pein stated bluntly after a few moments of silence. Minato simply chuckled; of course Pein was listening to his conversation with Naruto. "The boy's a strong one, he'll overcome this mountain."

"I know he is… But sometimes I wonder if sealing Kyuubi inside of him was the right thing to do."

"You can't keep crying over spilt milk, Minato." Pein said rather calmly despite the words being a slap to the king's face. "What happened thirteen years ago was a cruel twist of fate, I admit. And I too wish there was another way we could have handled the situation differently… however there's nothing we can do about it now." Pein sighed deeply. "I have to admit, though, perhaps training Naruto in utilizing Kyuubi's powers wouldn't be such a bad idea."

"You're kidding me. No. We are _not _using my son as a weapon, Pein."

"I never said he'd be used as a weapon. I'd never _think _of putting Naruto in such danger. I'm only suggesting that our kingdom isn't the only one that knows about Naruto's secret. What if other countries started to invade hoping they'd capture Naruto for their own gain?" Minato didn't even want to think about it. He _refused _to think of anyone capturing his son for their evil use. Over his dead body would he let anyone lay a hand on his son. "I can see the fear in your eyes, Minato. You need to start thinking realistically. You can't keep hiding Naruto in the shadows forever."

Minato sighed. "You're right…" he muttered, to which Pein smirked haughtily. He was always right. "But not now… it's too soon. I'll propose the idea to Naruto, and wait until he's older. Then… we'll begin his training."

The orange-haired nodded, empathizing with his king's wishes. Then, he wrapped an arm around Minato's shoulders and brought him in for a small hug. Since no one else was around, Minato allowed himself to fall into the warmth Pein could give him. It was always Pein who he went to when times seemed dire; when he felt the stress of being king get to him, when he needed a down-to-earth mind to speak to. It was always Pein…

"I'll be helping with training too, of course." Pein added in simply.

"I don't think I'd want you hanging around Naruto _too _much." Minato smirked devilishly. "You'd be too much of a negative influence on the boy."

"I'm with you most of the time, Minato. And look how well you turned out to be."

"I'm less susceptible to your evil ways, Pein."

Pein simply scoffed. Let Minato be difficult, it meant he was slowly getting happier and that, for Pein, was the most important thing in the world. His king's happiness was something he'd gladly fight for.

"Oh right. Before I forget," Pein fished inside of his jacket and pulled out a bloodstained gavel, Minato's bloodstained gavel. He handed the wide-eyed blonde the object and smirked. "You might want to wash this off the blood. And I would suggest you start searching for someone to fill in the fifth seat now that it's empty."

Minato merely shook his head in disbelief. "You didn't kill him, did you?" when Pein shook his head sadly, Minato let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God…" he muttered. He didn't want to go through the paperwork of _that _case if Pein really did murder that insolent fool. Minato looked up from the gavel in his hands and smiled. "You are truly insane, Pein."

Pein merely shrugged his shoulders. "Justice needed to be served. It turns out I was the one to deliver it this time." Standing up, Pein brushed off some dirt from his pants and offered his king a hand. Once both man were fully standing, the orange-haired man bowed politely. "Now, if you would excuse me, I have some other business to attend to."

Just as Pein was about to leave, Minato caught the man by the arm and brought him to his chest. Pein's back was pressing against his front, but Minato didn't mind, he simply wrapped his arms around the man's lithe waist and held him there.

"I hope to see you tonight, Pein." Minato whispered softly into the man's pierced ears.

It took all of Pein's resolve to not melt into a bowl of jelly like he wanted to. Instead, he gripped Minato's hand in his own and brought it to his lips for a sweet kiss.

"As you wish, my king."

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><p>I don't know why but I'm ALWAYS pairing up Minato with Pein :L. It happened with Akatsuki Cosplay Cafe and now this v.v. I also found a mistake a few minutes after posting this. So I tore the chapter down, fixed the mistake, and reposted.<p>

Anyway, please do review! I love hearing your opinions and constructive criticism :].

Till next time :D.


	8. Bonds

No reviews last time... D: I'm a little disheartened. And not alot of favs or story alerts v.v. Is my story lacking interest already? :P.

WELL LET'S KICK THINGS UP A NOTCH!

**Warning: I am the master of fluffy goodness! A cute little SasuNaru seen 8D. Nothing major guys, sorry! AND DRAMA KICKS IN! Mwahaha. And there could be a few spelling mistakes I overlooked, I am my own beta for now v.v.**

Read and enjoy :D.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eight: Bonds<strong>

"_I've noticed how important bonds are. They're hard to build. But so easy to break." – Sasuke Uchiha, age 14._

A pink tongue flicked out to lick the dry edges around his lips. Yellow eyes glimmered with a sinister spark as it scanned the crowd filled with his many loyal followers. They were all in an uproar, chanting his name over and over again like a ritual. The chanting sent unexplainable power surging through his body. He felt powerful; feared. He had an army under his wing that would willingly die for him. They'd fight for him. They'd follow his every order to the T. They were completely his and his alone.

They were his puppets, and he was simply the puppet master tugging the strings.

The plan was brilliant, really. The fools blindly followed his orders for three years now, never distinguishing his real identity until recently. There was a good reason for that. But a good plan can not be revealed so quickly. It needed to manifest itself to its climax before the curtain can be dropped.

His right hand man, loyal follower, and occasional bed partner, strode out to stand by his side with a satisfied grin on his face. The man pushed his slipping ocular glasses up the bridge of his nose and adjusted them until they fit perfectly against his face.

"My lord, the crowd seems restless."

"They're itching to spill blood." The man smirked devilishly.

"Will we unleash them into the city tonight?"

"No. Tonight would not be a wise choice to let loose my army. I still need a valuable playing piece in the palm of my hands before I can make my move." Those sickening yellow eyes glistened once more before the owner of that pair turned on his heels to return to his quarters. "Until then, I am not fully against some orchestrated chaos in the empire. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be returning to my bed." He threw a glance over his shoulder. "And I hope you'll be accompanying me, Kabuto."

Kabuto bowed respectfully. "As you wish, my lord."

+Eclipse+

"You're going with him."

It wasn't a question but rather a statement. One that made Sasuke stop in the middle of his packing to look up at his brother who was leaning against the doorframe patiently. He swallowed past the thick wall of hesitation and squared his shoulders. Sasuke wasn't going to let Itachi intimidate him so easily. The choice was his to make, and it wasn't like he would be gone for that long. Three years would fly by quicker than they could blink. Then he'd be back in the Luna Empire, stronger, faster, and more powerful. Naruto would probably be so amazed and fall head over heels in love with the raven prince…

Sasuke had to scoff at that train of thought. _'As if Naruto would fall in love with me.'_ It didn't hurt to _dream _about it, though.

"I am." Sasuke stated and went back to packing. The briefer he kept the conversation, the easier it would be to not back out of his decision. He was doing this for Naruto. He had decided on that long ago, ever since he came back from his visit to Soleil. When he held Naruto's shaking body in his arms and kissed his forehead so tenderly…

It occurred to him that he was breaking the promise he was making to Naruto. However, he was determined to use Orochimaru's training to become stronger so he could protect Naruto from all his fears, all his insecurities, and all his doubts. He would make sure he never saw Naruto cry like that ever again.

"Have you told Naruto yet?" Itachi asked quietly.

Sasuke shook his head. He would tell Naruto… He was just waiting for the right moment, as all.

"You're an idiot." Itachi shook his head sadly, ignoring the death glare his little brother was shooting over his shoulder. "How do you expect to get anywhere with him if you leave for _three_ years?" Sasuke paid no attention to him. He focused on his packing, which was light, but it was only taking so long because he kept unpacking and then repacking things in his backpack.

It was a wonderful distraction.

"I know you're listening to what I'm saying, Sasuke." Moving from his spot on the doorframe to stand next to his little brother, Itachi glanced down at how little his brother his packing. "Naruto's going to be hurt. You know that. Furthermore it's not safe for you to leave the Luna Empire. Not when there's a fully going rebellion happening underneath our noses. You could get hurt."

"Stop worrying, Itachi. I'm going to be fine." Sasuke finished the last of his packing and slung his backpack over his shoulder. Onyx eyes flashed with determination and passion for a few brief seconds before they simmered down. "As for Naruto… his family is visiting today. I was going to tell him when we're alone."

'_I'm doing this all for him.' _The last part never escaped his lips, but Itachi read it perfectly in the boy's eyes. Shaking his head, Itachi gripped his brother into a bone crushing hug for a few moments until he regained his composure once more.

"This better be worth the three years of waiting I'm about to do, Otouto. I'm going to be horribly bored without someone to tease as much as I please." Pushing his brother back at arm's length, Itachi flashed prince-like smirk. "I suppose I _can _find my entertainment in Naruto once you're gone. He will be on the market, after all…"

Sasuke grabbed his brother by the shirt collar, his eyes flashing dangerously red. "Don't you dare lay one, bony, little finger on him. Do you understand?"

Itachi chuckled. His brother was so adorable when he got fired up about him touching what was 'his'. It was absolutely comical because Sasuke's eyes switched from stony onyx to fiery red in a flash. His cheeks would puff out slightly and his lips would set themselves in a scowl befitting a bratty prince.

"Prince Sasuke, Prince Itachi," one of their many servants, a foreigner from the New World, knocked on the door, signaling the boys' attention. She was petite, but held a horrible temper if you didn't do as you was instructed the first time. Her normally long, brown hair was tied in a ponytail that cascaded down her back. She was also the lucky servant personally in charge of the princes if the king was away.

Think of it like a nanny, only without the British accent.

"Yes, Louise-san?" Itachi raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow.

"Prince Naruto and King Minato have arrived. They are waiting for you both in the foyer."

"Thank you, Louise-san." Sasuke smiled graciously and bounced out of the room before anyone could really say anything.

Louise watched the younger raven zoom down the hallway and out of sight with a smile on her face. "I'm going to miss that boy once he leaves."

"Hn," Itachi solemnly agreed. No more words were spoken after that. Neither one wanted to voice their own concerns and suspicions. Not now, not when they had to put up their best façade. Itachi nodded respectfully and exited the room after that, deciding it would be best if he joined everyone in the foyer.

+Eclipse: Everything's Better When You Smile+

Sasuke's heart felt like it was going to jump out of his chest and start running a marathon around the castle. A rush of emotions was swirling through out Sasuke's body. Nervousness and excitement were too major ones. Naruto looked amazing in his casual clothing. Hell, to Sasuke Naruto looked amazing in _anything_. The blonde was currently wear light washed jeans, an orange top, and a black and orange beanie. Sasuke always wondered what exactly went on in Naruto's mind when choosing his outfits, but he learned from experience that when you ask Naruto stupid questions… you get very stupid answers.

"Sasuke!" Naruto screamed, vaulting himself into Sasuke's arms. They were always separated for years, only to reunite stronger than ever. But really, that's what true friendship is right? You can be a part from a person for years, but once you come back together everything just clicks into place like you were never gone in the first place.

Sasuke, a complete stranger when it came to display of affections (although a certain blonde prince could very well change that), awkwardly hugged Naruto back. He was still as happy as Naruto was with their reunion. Despite how short it would be… and how it would probably be their last time together until he left. The raven mentally slapped himself for thinking depressing thoughts. He couldn't linger on the fact that he'd be leaving Naruto for three years...

Not when Naruto was smiling that dazzling smile that could dull the sun and put the stars to shame.

"Dobe, you're hugging too tightly."

"Suck it up for a little bit, Teme!" Naruto smiled. "A little hug ain't gonna kill yah."

"Excuse my son's behavior, Sasuke-kun." Minato smirked, "He's still in that growing up phase. Sadly he still hasn't hit puberty yet…"

"Shut up, Dad!" Naruto pouted, shooting his father the death glare; which his dad bounced off perfectly. "I'm getting there, alright!"

"Rather slowly, though." Of course Sasuke had to add in to the conversation teasing Naruto – he couldn't help himself.

"No one asked for your opinion, Teme." Naruto scowled, and dislodged himself from Sasuke's grasp so he could fold his arms across his chest. With a pout, Naruto turned to his father. "So how long are we staying this time, Dad?"

"The conference lasts all day. That's plenty of time for you and Sasuke-kun to hang out."

Naruto's lit up at the idea of having Sasuke all to himself for the entire day. There was so much he wanted to do, so much he needed to say and vent. And, they were finally spending time in Sasuke's country! Naruto had brought extra money just so they could find a shop that sold Stardust. The magical item was so freaking addicting he wanted to buy one of every color.

Sasuke smiled as well, but it was more forced than anything else. A whole day – his last day – to spend with Naruto and he was going to make every second count. He would make today something the blonde prince could never forget. So hopefully… once Sasuke was gone, Naruto could hold onto those memories until he returned. A sigh escaped his city.

Laughter was everywhere. However, underneath the happiness, Sasuke could sense the lingering shadows of evil lurking around every corner. His eyes flashed crimson red for a brief second, scanning the area. Naruto was gabbing, as usual, but Sasuke was more focused on whoever, or whatever, was staring at them from the alleyway.

"And then I… - Teme, it would be nice if you actually _listened_ to what I have to say!" Naruto stopped in his tracks and pouted.

Sasuke's eyes never left the shadow trying to hide in the alleyway until he saw it skittered back into the darkness. When he finally looked back at Naruto, he blinked back his Sharingan and flashed Naruto a wry smile.

"Well if you had something interesting to say, then I would listen."

"You're such an asshole." Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and shot Sasuke a glare. The glare was shot down with ease by Sasuke's chuckling. _'Damn him!' _Naruto stomped off ahead of the raven. He could never stand when Sasuke laughed at him. It fueled his childish anger to no limits.

Sasuke easily caught up to Naruto in stride, hands jammed in his pockets and a small smirk dancing on his lips. These were the moments he'd recall on his journey. Naruto's pouts, his random bursts of anger, his vulgar vocabulary, and the way his eyes sparkled when he was talking about something passionate… Or the way the clouded over like a rainstorm was about to appear whenever the blonde was mulling over something sad. These were the moments he'd store safely away in his heart. Precious moments that no one could replace.

A pang of guilt attacked his heart, causing Sasuke to stop in stride. He thought back to the first time the two had met in the forest. It was such a momentous meeting, something that both could ever forget, and probably why they were so close till this day. Sasuke looked down at the scar permanently embedded in his skin – a mark of friendship and a reminder of how they got to where they were today. The best of friends. Sasuke always wondered what would have happened if the council had given the assignment to someone else. Would he no longer be tied to the blonde prince? Or would Fate have weaved their webs in a totally different way? Their relationship all started with a single intent – to find out every single detail about the Jinchuuriki prince.

'_Now look at us.'_ Sasuke thought as he watched Naruto stop in front of a store window, eyes as wide as saucers as he gazed through the window. _'We're best friends. I'd do anything to keep him safe when my true purpose was to one day destroy him…' _he was standing next to Naruto now, his hand reaching out to grab onto Naruto's hand. The blonde looked up at him perplexed. Sasuke didn't say anything, just tightened his hold on the hand. _'I want to protect him. I want to take away all his fears, all his sadness.' _His eyes fell onto the scar that traveled along Naruto's right arm, and then fell on his own scar. When he looked up, he was greeted with the most dazzling blue eyes he had ever seen, and a smile that could dull out the sun.

"Your head's in the clouds today, Teme." There was a noticeable blush covering Naruto's cheeks. Sasuke looked away in embarrassment. Was it too much to hold on to Naruto's hand so casually? He was simply acting on impulse. But it would be too awkward to let go now.

"Perhaps," Sasuke rolled his eye up to the clouds, looking as if he was deep in thought. Naruto scoffed, but couldn't hide his smile, giving Sasuke a good punch on the arm. "Because that hurt," Sasuke ignored the glare Naruto was giving him and dragged him into the local market place. "You wanted to buy Stardust right? I know a great place you can get it for cheap."

"Seriously!" There it was again – that beautiful sparkle that lit up in Naruto's eyes. "What the hell are we waiting for? Let's buy some freaking Stardust!"

For now, Sasuke would ignore the dangerous premonition that bubbled in his stomach. He would ignore the shadows that lurked and roamed around him. Naruto was his sun – his entire focus. He wasn't about to let anything ruin his last day with Naruto.

Absolutely no one would destroy their last moments together.

+Eclipse+

The sun was starting to set in the west, and Sasuke could see the faint trace of the moon starting to rise from its sleep. He always loved to stay out in the evenings and watch the change from day to night. The sky looked like a painter's palette, mixed with colors that blended together to make one, big color. A hint of orange blended in with golden yellows and misty purples. It was a true work of art in Sasuke's mind.

Sasuke passed a glance towards Naruto, watching in ease as the blonde played with his newly bought Stardust. Despite Sasuke's constant warnings and protest, Naruto had bought around four bags of Stardust. What the hell he was going to do with all that, Sasuke didn't know, but he did ask.

"I'm going to find people to give them to." Naruto had answered. "I already have a few in mind."

Sasuke hadn't questioned who these few were, because he'd learn about it eventually. Instead he laid there on top of the hill, the grass tickling against his skin, the trees whistling in the breeze, and the country side down below slowly falling asleep. He wanted this moment to last forever. Just the two of them lying on this hill away from the world, away from all their problems that they were faced with. He wouldn't have to leave Naruto, the two could stay there and live their lives happily without any royal titles dragging them down. But Sasuke knew it would be selfish to do that. He had already made his choices, and he couldn't back out now. He was going, for Naruto's sake. He was leaving to become stronger, for Naruto's sake. Sasuke was spending time with Naruto all for his sake.

No matter how many times he told himself this, over and over again, he still felt a stab of Guilt strike his heart.

"Ne, Sasuke," Naruto whispered in awe, a devilish grin was trying to worm his way on his lips. "Look what I drew."

"Hm?" Sasuke rolled onto his side for a better view. Naruto motioned up to the sky that had already changed to a hazy purple bleeding into black. A few stars had come out to play and the moon was slowly starting to make its appearance. In the sky, Sasuke could point out the evident pieces of Stardust glittering in the sky. One figure was obviously of him, only in stick figure form. The other figure had to be Naruto, also in stick figure form. The two were holding hands and smiling, just like they were earlier. But this time it had a whole different feel to it.

The stars were twinkling around the image, as if they were giving approval the union. The moon was shining brightly, casting the image in its celestial glow. Sasuke felt his breath was stolen away and captured in a jar. The drawing was so simple, yet to Sasuke it spoke volumes.

His scar throbbed dully…

"Naruto…" Sasuke whispered, trying to find the right words to say.

"I know. Makes you speechless, huh?" Naruto grinned rather cockily, "I'm an artist in the making."

Sasuke scoffed. "You made my head bigger than my body, Dobe."

Naruto's grin grew even wider. "I thought I nailed it pretty perfectly."

"And what's with my left arm being shorter than my right." Sasuke pointed out, the stardust moving around his fingers as he figuratively poked a hole through it.

"Does everything that comes out of your mouth an insult?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Yes?" he replied with a smirk.

"God, you're so annoying…" Naruto said with a roll of his eyes. But Sasuke knew Naruto didn't mean it.

"I like it." Sasuke sat upright, bringing his knees to his chest so he could rest his arms on them.

"Seriously?" Naruto's eyes sparkled with joy.

Sasuke nodded. "Seriously."

Naruto smiled softly and turned his gaze back up to the sky. The boys stayed like that. In a peaceful silence before Naruto turned his gaze back onto the raven prince.

"You know, I sometimes can't believe that this happened. Our friendship, I mean." Naruto rubbed the back of his head nervously. He hadn't expected to randomly burst out with such a confession. Yet, when he was with Sasuke, he found that the words easily tumbled out of his mouth. "We met in that forest three years ago, and honestly I thought you were going to kill me. Then you did the exact opposite and saved my life. I always look at the scar on my arm… it's special to me, you know? It sets what we have a part from the rest."

Sasuke nodded along with understanding, because he felt the same way. Only the thought that he truly _had _been in the forest with the intent to kill the prince made his heart lurch. But he thanked the heavens that it was because of that incident, the Guardian attacking them and brandishing them with scars, that he was able to have such a strong bond with Naruto today.

"I don't feel this way with anyone else." Naruto continued. "Not with Deidara, or my father." On impulse Naruto went for Sasuke's hand and gripped it tightly. "Our bond is something I cherish the most, Sasuke."

Sasuke couldn't help himself. Not when Naruto had said something so… endearing. So… damn cute! His lips gently brushed against Naruto's – a shy kiss that barely lasted a second. It didn't even register in Sasuke's mind that he had done it until Naruto let out a yelp of surprise and stumbled back. A blush was overtaking his face and Sasuke felt like the biggest idiot in the world. Here he was, trying to preserve his last moments left with Naruto, and he had falling into the urge to kiss him!

'_God, I'm such an idiot! What if this pushes him away?' _Sasuke couldn't meet Naruto's eyes and turned his attention to a nearby tree. "Sorry…" he mumbled, unsure of what to do next.

"I-It's fine." Naruto stuttered, his voice barely a whisper. Sasuke whipped his head around, eyes widened. Was it seriously fine? His kiss hadn't pushed Naruto away? He felt a heavy weight lifted off his shoulder as Naruto took his rightful place beside him, although their fingers brushed awkwardly and the two were _very _aware of the other's presence.

"That was my first kiss…" Naruto dropped his head in the palm of his hands, groaning not out of dislike, but rather by embarrassment for how he was acting. His heartbeat was pounding obnoxiously in his ears and he could vividly remember the touch of Sasuke's lips on his own. _'Damn it! I'm acting like such a girl! Play it cool, Uzumaki.' _

Sasuke couldn't help but smirk. Naruto's expression was _begging _to be teased! "Really?"

"Shut up, Teme!"

"That's cute."

"I'm warning you!"

"Would you like another?"

"Fuck you!"

Sasuke fell over in bouts of laughter, clutching onto the sides of his stomach. Naruto sat there, arms crossed and a scowl marring his face. How dare that bastard laugh at him? It wasn't even that funny! At least take some damn responsibility.

Naruto kicked Sasuke in the shin, growling at him to stop. Sasuke slowly sat up, wiping away the tears from his eyes. God, he hadn't laughed like that in _ages_.

"You know, one day I'm going to kick your ass so hard you'll regret laughing at me."

Sasuke rose a perfectly, arched eyebrow. "That day will never happen, Dobe."

"Screw you!" Naruto jabbed a finger at Sasuke's chest. "I'll have you know that my dad's going to start _personally_ training me once I turn sixteen." He didn't go into specific details, like how it was going to help him utilize Kyuubi's powers for his own gain, but Sasuke didn't need to know about that. Not yet anyways.

Naruto looked so cocky, so proud, that it sent another wave of guilt crashing through Sasuke. But at the same time, he felt rather… proud – competitive even. The two were now taking totally different paths, each in their own attempts to grow stronger. The Uchiha's competitive blood started to kick into overdrive. He still held on to that will to protect Naruto, but he also wanted to be the dominate one, the more powerful one, and win.

"You could be trained by the best masters in the world, but that still won't be enough to beat me." Sasuke expertly dodged the blades of grass Naruto tried to throw at him. He laughed even more when Naruto tackled him, declaring to brawl right there and then to deem a winner.

The kiss was forgotten – for now. Both boys were too involved in their scuffle to notice the obvious attractions they both shared. Their faces were close to one another, Sasuke finishing out on top with Naruto on bottom, flushed from their earlier fight and from mild embarrassment. They were so close…

Sasuke's head jerked up as he noticed an aura flame up from behind them. His eyes melted from onyx to ruby in a matter of seconds as he scanned the area. The trees were rustling and the wind was howling in to the night. A primal growl escaped Sasuke's lips as his nails dug into the earth. The person was purposefully coating their aura so he couldn't pinpoint who or where they were. This infuriated Sasuke to no end.

"Ah, don't you look menacing, Sasuke-kun." The voice dripped like honey, sweet yet horribly mocking at the same time. Sasuke recognized that voice and visibly cringed. He _hated _this person.

"Kabuto-san," he spat up, rolling off of Naruto so he could stand and address Kabuto properly.

The man chuckled and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. There was a knowing gaze in those eyes, and it made Sasuke wonder just how long this man was watching them.

"Is there something you wanted?" Sasuke didn't want to talk to this man anymore than he had to. He was cutting into his quality time with Naruto before he had to leave tomorrow. And damn it, Kabuto's aura just _reeked _of bad news.

"You're not very polite, are you?" Kabuto cocked his head to the side, looking straight passed Sasuke and stared at Naruto. The blonde shifted nervously. He couldn't place what it was, but something was tipping him off that this man spelt bad news.

"What do you want, Kabuto-san?" Sasuke asked again.

"I came to get you. Orochimaru-sama has made a change of plans." Sasuke raised an eyebrow, nervousness pumping through his system. He shot a sideways glance towards Naruto, trying to gauze a reaction. Blue eyes met him, questioning and narrowed. That wasn't a good sign at all. "We're leaving tonight instead of tomorrow."

"You're leaving…?" Naruto's whisper hit Sasuke's ears like someone had just walked up and punched him.

Why? Why in the world was Fate cursing him like that? This wasn't how tonight was supposed to turn out. Sasuke was supposed to attack the subject gingerly, and comfort Naruto if needed with his promises of returning. Naruto wasn't supposed to learn like this, from a stranger's mouth.

"Sasuke—"

"Yeah," Sasuke head his head low, waiting for Naruto's violent outburst. Or with hope, a laugh and a pat on the back, wishing him luck.

Instead, he was greeted with five seconds of painfully, agonizing, silence.

"How long…?"

"Three years." Sasuke whispered.

"You bastard!" Sasuke felt his skin burn from the punch. Naruto was heaving, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. The raven's hand automatically went to cup his abused cheek. He couldn't open his mouth to form the words – he was too ashamed. "You said you wouldn't leave me! **You promised!**"

"Naruto," he finally said, reaching out for his best friend only to have his hands slapped away. "Listen to me."

"No!" Naruto clamped his hands over his ears, refusing to listen.

"Stop being so childish!" Sasuke snapped. "It won't be that long! I'm leaving for training. Aren't you doing the same thing?"

"Yeah, but I'm not leaving for three fucking years!" Naruto snapped back.

"It's not like I won't come back!"

"You lied to me, Sasuke…" tears were tumbling down in waterfalls. Naruto's bottom lip quivered and a weak hiccup escaped his lips. This was the second time Sasuke had seen Naruto look so… broken.

'_And it's my fault.' _

Kabuto stood on the sidelines, a viral grin plastered on his lips. _'Tragic… but it's all going according to plan.' _

"Naruto..." Sasuke tried to reach out again, but Naruto was already dashing down the hill, back into town. He wanted to run after him; his feet wouldn't move. They were glued down to the floor. And no matter how much Sasuke willed his feet to move they wouldn't budge.

"Fuck!" he screamed, dropping down onto his knees as he punched the ground repeatedly. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" everything was ruined. He could feel the bond they had start to rust – the break – like weathered chains. No! What they had couldn't be destroyed so easily! It was weakening… and Sasuke had no idea how to fix it.

"Now, now," Kabuto smiled in a friendly fashion, bending down to rub a comforting hand on the boy's back. His smile intensified when Sasuke growled at him and tried lunging for his hand. "Crying won't fix a thing. Naruto will forgive and forget. Now we can't keep Orochimaru-sama waiting any longer."

"No…" Sasuke whispered hoarsely, attempting to stand up and find Naruto.

Kabuto shook his head and gripped Sasuke by the hairs, pulling him up so they were staring face to face. His expression was carefree, nonchalant, but his words were venom. "I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. But no is no longer an option for you."

Before Sasuke could say a retort, Kabuto had knocked him out – a careful hit to a pressure point. Sasuke could feel himself falling into the blackness. Hazy images of Naruto floated by, and his hands feebly reached out to grab onto them – only to have the wispy, cloud-like, images to fall passed his fingers. Blackness overtook him, and he found his consciousness fading.

His scar throbbed painfully, but it didn't register to Sasuke as he was carried back to the castle. The scar was responding to their bond…

So easily broken.

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><p>Nooooo D: Naruto don't cry! Sasuke you asshole! Alright, I really have no right to call him an asshole... but anyways! What do you guys think ;D. I'd love to hear your opinions and I take constructive criticism well. Don't forget to leave your reviews on your way out! Reviews mean freshly baked cookies 8D.<p>

Till next Friday my love bugs~!


	9. Respect

**Special thanks to my lovely anonymous reviewer Shane and my lovely non-anonymous viewer andy2908 for reviewing last time :3. You pumped me up to actually sit down and write this. Also many thanks to the people who have added this story to their favs and alerts :].**

So I seriously had to sit down and think whether or not I wanted this chapter to be a reunion between Naruto and Sasuke, or just a chapter for Naruto as he grows a little. I didn't really want the reunion so fast, so I went with this 8D. I actually liked how it turned out. So I hope you all like it too!

I'm currently running on the energy of this cinnamon sugar pretzel that was SUPPOSED to be my dad's but he ate my non-salted one D:. I'm not complaining! The pretzel was freaking gooodd. But I felt like I had to share that.

**Warning: Slight Naruto bashing (as usual) I really should have warned about that in the first place o.o. Ummah, I hope Pein isn't too OOC o**

**Disclaimer: I got arrested once for claming I owned Naruto. After a few shower incidents, interrogations, and a spanking, I relinquished my ownership.**

Enjoy :3.

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><p><strong>Chapter Nine: Respect<strong>

"_Respect is so hard to come by. But once you've earned it, the mountains you had to climb to obtain it seem like little hills. All the troubles I had to go through were worth it in the end to gain that respect." – Naruto Uzumaki, age 16._

"Show me what you've got, brat."

I scoffed. Oh, I'd show him _exactly_ what I have. Crouching low to the ground, I focus all my energy to the soles of my feet – so when I lunge for the attack, there's more power behind it. Dad and Pein recently started to train me in using Kyuubi's powers for my own benefit. A few months ago I was a little hesitant. I didn't want to accept the fact that I had a demon stored inside of me against my will. The idea slowly started to grow on me though once Dad told me all the cool stuff I could do if I tapped into the Kyuubi's aura.

Sure, it would be cool to become all powerful and shit with Kyuubi's aura, but it's not really _true _strength to me. I'd like to know I won a battle because of my own power, not something I borrowed from some overgrown fox. How in the hell would I ever beat _him _if I couldn't face him with my own strength?

Fuck… I thought about him. _Again_.

'**Alright you stupid fox, you know what to do.'**

'_**Is it really that hard to say please?' **_Kyuubi scoffed. Although it sounded more like it was snorting up mucus than anything else. _**'You humans are all alike. Demanding with the thought that everything will be handed to you with a snap of your fingers. Sickening.'**_

'**Are you done bitching yet? I don't really want to suffer another ass-whooping from Pein because you're dealing with another emotional rollercoaster.'**

Kyuubi merely snorted, but he gave in anyways. I couldn't help but smirk victoriously. Even if the overgrown fuzz ball was a major whiner, I managed to somehow get him to do what I want. It both scared me and sent a major thrill up my spine knowing how much control I actually had.

Feeling the power of Kyuubi's aura mixing into mine, I went for my weapon's pouch clipped onto one of my belt loops. Inside was a specially made dagger Dad gave me with the power to channel aura into its blade. It was really fucking cool actually. All I had to do was focus my aura into the blade, and an enormous spike of energy would shoot out and engulf the blade. It was like roasting a marshmallow over a fire pit and watching it get engulfed by flames. You sit there, staring in awe for about two seconds until you go "Oh crap!" and try to snuff out the fire.

"You ready for this, Pein?" I sneered, gripping the handle of the dagger in my hands. Pein simply scoffed, got into a defensive stance, and begged me to attack him.

Like a flash I was behind him, aiming a kick for his lower back. The bastard saw it coming and did a perfect back flip. I hated when he did that. But it made the battle all the more fun. Smirking, a series of punches, kicks, and dodges came my way. I was able to block most of them, and I was even lucky enough to land a few punches and kicks myself. But Pein hated giving me the upper hand – the bastard – and decided to take the spar up a notch. Pein was known world-wide as being an excellent fighter and battle strategist. My dad recruited him for the Soleil Army a few years ago because I guess he found his skills attractive. Or maybe he found Pein attractive in general. Dad was horrible at hiding his relationship with Pein from me. Not that I minded that the two were currently seeing each other.

The only thing that pissed me off about Pein was that he _knew _he was good, and wasn't afraid to show off his skills. His attitude reminded me too much of certain raven that I had forever banned to the corner of my mind for all of existence.

"You spaced out." Pein replied bluntly. He was standing behind me with a dagger barely brushing against my vocal chords. Shit. When did he get behind me? "That's going to cost you."

"Gonna kill me now, Pein?" I joked, although the way the man smirked evilly at me and pressed the cool tip of the blade against my throat even more made me second guess. God, Pein really scared the shit out of me sometimes.

"If this was actual combat, and I was the enemy. Then yes, your head would be happily rolling on the ground right now." Pein cracked a rare smile at me and removed the blade from my throat. Praise the Lord! I felt instant relief rush through me as he stepped back and allowed me some breathing room. I really pitied all the people who had to face off against Pein in combat. He normally held back a _lot _when we were fighting, which made me a little pissed off, I had to admit. How the hell did he expect me to get better if he always fought me half-assed? But Pein always has a reason for everything, and anymore back-talk leads to me getting my ass kicked… again.

So I've learned to hold my tongue back, a little.

"Aren't I lucky that you love me then." I laughed and slipped my dagger into my back pocket. The need for water was calling out to me and I would be stupid if I ignored it. Thankfully Pein was already one step ahead with two water bottles in his hand. He tossed one to me and I gratefully accepted it.

"You wish. However I will admit that if I killed you things in this castle would be too quiet for me to bear. Unless of course I'm fucking your father, he has the loudest—"

"Alright, you're going a little too far there, Pein!" I want to wipe that cocky smirk off his face so badly my fingers are itching. "I don't need to know about what you and my dad get into under the covers."

"A lot, actually." Pein's smirk grew even wider. Damn it! Sometimes I really hated this man. His mannerisms were too familiar to a certain raven… "I could go into detail if you wish."

"I think I'll pass on that."

"Suit yourself." He shrugged his shoulders and recapped his water bottle. Another thing I envied about this man was that no matter how intense our sparring got, he never broke a sweat! What is this guy anyways? A freaking superhero in disguise? It was like he was barely even trying. Which he probably wasn't, but still! "Hurry up with that water. When you're done we need to talk about a few matters."

My shoulders sagged at his tone of voice. I knew something bad was about to come up whenever Pein used that tone of voice. Maybe if I'm quick enough I could escape through one of the windows in the gym. No, that wouldn't work. Pein would hog tie me down before I could even make it to the window.

Fuck. I'm totally screwed.

'_**That Uchiha brat is always on your mind.' **_I really wish the overgrown fuzz ball would shut up sometimes. Did he not understand that I wasn't in the mood for his freaking comments? _**'He's going to be your downfall one day. I can see it coming too! Ah, what a glorious sight to behold.' **_

'**You're fucking insane.'** I spat out. Shit, my face was heating up, wasn't it? No! I'm not blushing over that freaking idiot that left me three years ago. And I'm obviously not thinking about how much I miss him and how I wish I could have been a little more mature back then. Of course I've pushed him into the back of my mind, forever locked away where I can just forget and move on.

'_**You're a horrible liar, Kit.'**_

'**Shut up! And don't call me Kit. It's weird.' **

"Naruto?" Crap, I spaced out again. I looked up to see Pein looking rather worried. Yeah, I would look worried too if I had to watch a teenager have an inner battle with a demon locked inside of him. Smiling, I gave the man two thumbs up, indicating that everything was peachy keen. Although I had a major headache starting to form from fighting with the fuzz ball. Arguing with Kyuubi always got me headaches. Fucking bitch.

"Sorry. Got a little preoccupied there." I smiled sheepishly and walked over to the bench Pein was seated at. He offered me a towel and I took it, wiping off the remaining sweat from my face. My heartbeat must have been obnoxiously loud – probably loud enough to wake up the dead. There's no need to freak out, Naruto. Pein's most likely going to take about your training and ways to improve yourself. I had to scoff at that last thought. If Pein really wanted to talk about my training he would have made comments on it while we sparred.

No. We were definitely entering dangerous territory right now.

"Naruto, I've been meaning to ask you this for a while." Oh God… here it comes. "After the Uchiha left—"

"Stop right there." I raised a hand, and it seemed to effectively shut Pein up. Sadly he smacked my hand away and gave me glare that normal people would have run away from. To me, Pein had all bark but no bite when it came to me – but don't tell him I told you that. "I've already told you _and _Dad that I'm over it. What happened happened. So drop it, okay?"

Pein stared at me with those ringed eyes of his, and not for the first time I felt like he was trying to read into my soul. I swallowed, hoping that my aura was in check and not spiraling out of control like it wanted to be. Pein could read a person's emotions and thoughts just from their aura because of his eyes. He called it the Rinnegan. It was cool at first until he started to use that pesky ability against me. Now I just find it annoying.

"You don't have to lie to me." I flinched involuntarily. Pein normally never showed emotion unless it was directed towards my dad, me, or if he was angry. Small traces of sadness leaked into his eyes, his lips jutting out into a slight frown, and I felt like an asshole for not being completely honest with him. On the other hand, how in the world does he expect me to be straight with him if I couldn't get my own damn feelings together myself? "I only ask because I care about you, Naruto."

"I know that…" I mumbled weakly. I knew Pein cared deeply for me. He's been there for me whenever I needed a good kick in the ass to get me going again. He was like a second father to me, a best friend, and an older brother all rolled into one person. If that was even possible.

"Don't shut me out, then. Your attacks lack any real conviction. It's like you have something going on in your mind that distracts you. The only logical explanation I can come up with is that you're _still _thinking about him."

"I am not."

"Stop lying."

"I'm not lying!"

"Now you're yelling and becoming defensive." Pein folded his arms across his chest and shot me a cold look. He was starting to lose his patience. Which meant that I was slowly starting to lose this argument. "Naruto, it would be in your best interest if you forgot about Sasuke."

I felt pure anger boil through me then. And desperation. A lot of desperation. Pein could easily suggest forgetting Sasuke because he didn't know him like I did. He never met him in the forest, fought against an overgrown tiger, and nearly die to protect him. He didn't have the scar permanently etched on his skin proudly stating that his friendship came from something special.

He never loved Sasuke…

No. I don't love Sasuke like that. At least I don't think I do. I mean… shit. I'm getting confused. I love Sasuke like a brother. We've been together for years. And yes, him leaving was a knife stabbing me in the back; especially since I had to learn it from a stranger. And yeah, I'll admit I acted childish back then. But… I rarely ever think before I speak, I'm aware of that. So the logical thing for me to do at the time was scream then run away.

I regret it so much…

"Pein… it's not as easy as you think it is." I dropped my gaze to my fingers, clasping them together. "I-I've tried. No matter what I've done Sasuke always manages to get into my head." I rolled up my black sleeve and pointed at my scar that traveled from my wrist up to the halfway mark of my arm. Till this day we never knew why that scar never healed considering I'm the host of Kyuubi and that gives me the power to heal every wound rather quickly. Yet this wound stayed, for years. I've tried asking the fuzz ball about it but he'd always throw a hissy fit and shut me out. "This scar here, it's a mark of our friendship. It started from something _special_. And yeah, Sasuke leaving may have affected me more than I will admit but… You have to understand I can'tforget him."

Pein studied me for what seemed like hours. His eyes never left my scar, and for a moment I thought he was going to say something more. Instead, he simply nodded his head and dropped the subject. I sighed in relief.

"Then you're going to have to learn how to reign in your emotions." Pein spoke quietly. My ears picked up on it though, and my curiosity was peaked. "I've trained you too hard and too long for it all to go to the waste the minute you see the Uchiha and want to pick a fight with him." He smirked, "You don't have to forget him if it's too painful. However, while we're training I only want you to concentrate on two things: Your goal and defeating me. Do you understand?"

"Roger that!" and for the hell of it I even threw in a salute. Pein chuckled and the air around us instantly got lighter. "So is that all? Can I go? I'm starving!"

"Ah, hold your horses there brat." Damn it. I knew it was too good to be true. Deflated, I slowly sunk back to my seat. My stomach growled in protest and it took all my willpower not to lash out at it. "There's one more thing I have to talk to you about before you stuff your face in that unhealthy slop you call food."

"I'll have you know that ramen is a part of the food pyramid!" I shot back. No one – and I mean one – no one, disses ramen!

Pein scoffed, "Maybe in the pyramid of the mentally insane, but I'm getting off topic." Damn it, I was hoping he wouldn't notice. "Naruto, how well do you feel you've connected with the people of Soleil?"

I shot the carrot top an incredulous look. Was he stupid, or did he like preying on my weaknesses today? He should know _personally _how well the people and I "connect".

"Do you want me to answer that truthfully?"

"Yes."

"Then we connect as well as trying to put a square block in a circular hole." I folded my arms across my chest and that was that. It wasn't the best description of our relationship, but it gave the general feel of it I would say. I was the square, trying desperately to fit inside the circular hole. Only I got rejected every single time.

Pein laughed – actually laughed – at that! So I had to retaliate by punching him square in the shoulder. The bastard.

"It's not funny, asshole!"

"You're right. It's not funny at all." Then stop smirking! "You do realize you need to switch your tactics in order to gain some respect. You're the prince. You never know when disaster will strike and your father isn't there anymore. It would be a foolish move to appoint you as king and no one wishes to follow you."

"Wow, Pein. Way to shove all that shit in my face." I shot him a sneer. "I already _know _that. But if you haven't exactly noticed, all the people of Soleil hate me because of this freaking fox sealed inside of me!" for emphasis at pointed at my stomach where the seal was hidden beneath my shirt.

'_**Pointing is not nice, Kit.' **_

"If I'm not blunt with you, how will you ever learn?" Pein shot me one of those fake, innocent, smiles of his that always sent chills up my spine. I hated when he smiled like that. It normally meant that whatever he said had a double meaning, was complete bull or he just made a fool out of me. "Seriously speaking, though. You need to start connecting with Soleil's people. What have you been doing so far?"

"You mean besides pulling pranks?" I grinned rather cheekily. I really haven't pulled any pranks since two years ago, but I loved seeing Pein's face whenever I press the wrong buttons.

"Naruto…" and then his tone of voice took on that of a warning. If I stepped over the line too much, Pein would surely pounce on me.

"I'm kidding! I swear!" I couldn't help but laugh at the look of relief that washed over Pein. Jeez, I'm not that dense. If I pulled anymore pranks it would just give the people enough more reasons to hate me.

It always crosses my mind though what would have happened if I had the fox locked inside of me, but I was just a normal townsperson. A small part of my mind says I would go through out my day, resenting everyone if I never had people like Iruka, my father, Pein, Sasuke, and Deidara in my life. And that part would probably be right. Those five people are the ones I lean onto whenever I'm upset or hurt. They've given me pep talks and help me strive to become the greatest. If I never had that sort of emotional boost… I hate to wonder what I would have turned out to be.

"Thank God." Pein muttered. "I know you have the potential to get people to acknowledge you, Naruto. That loud of mouth of yours can rarely be ignored."

"Hey! Isn't this supposed to be a pep talk?" because if it is, Pein's failing miserably at it.

Pein chuckled, and a wry smirk came on his face. "You didn't let me finish. With your loud mouth, and personality that seems to attract even the coldhearted, you'll be able to overcome everything. I have faith in you, Naruto. As does your father and all your other caretakers. Don't forget that we'll always have your back, no matter how many people look down on you because of Kyuubi. That will never change."

I didn't know what to say. I couldn't exactly say anything either because even if I moved my mouth, no words would come out of it. Instead, actions were a lot louder than words at the moment, and lunged forward. I wrapped my arms around his neck and forced him into the biggest bear hug of his life. Pein was rarely a person to show affection – how Dad was able to get the man to actually love was beyond me – but this time he actually looked pretty embarrassed and hugged me back.

It took all of my willpower to hold back the tears that wanted to spill down my cheeks.

'_**Bah, human emotions are so sickening to watch.' **_

Not even the overgrown ball of demonic fluff could tear me down!

"Thank you so much, Pein!" I honestly don't know what I would do without carrot top. He was a key part in my life and I wouldn't trade him in for anything in the world. The man always knew the right words to say and when to say him. He was just that beast.

"I get it already." Even though he tried to seem annoyed that I was latching onto him like a jellyfish, I knew he was happy. You can't fool Naruto Uzumaki! "Not get off of me already. You're heavier than you look."

+Eclipse+

The city was alive, like it normally is during the afternoon. People were chattering happily. Kids were running around. Everything in Soleil looked peaceful. As I walked down the streets, I'm not going to lie and say that people didn't look at me or whisper. I used to cower, freak out, or even scream at them to look away. But that was back when I was young and naïve. Now I hold my head up high and walk through them. They were only afraid of what they didn't know. All they saw me for was a monster.

Well, I was going to change their minds.

"But how?" I sighed, finding a nearby bench to sit down and rest. Ironically enough, the city that hates me was the city I used to clear my head and gather my thoughts. I guess it's because everything's all chaotic, and since I was anything but stable, the city helped me ground myself and find my center. If that makes any sense.

'_**I say you kill them all. That will get them to respect you.'**_

'**Do you even hear the words that come out of your mouth?'**

'_**It's a perfectly good idea, Kit.'**_

'**I told you to not call me Kit! And it's not a good idea. What the hell makes you think they'll respect me if I kill them all?'**

'_**Well firstly they won't have any more nasty words to throw at you.' **_Good point, actually. But no, I wasn't going to fall for his mind games! _**'And secondly if they were to fear you, that is another form of respect.' **_

'**Oh yeah. I'd love to see them pee their pants in fear that I'll rip out their throats.' **

'_**It's actually rather pleasant thing to watch.'**_

'**You're sick…'**

Recently, these sort of conversations between Kyuubi and I have become more frequent. They didn't revolve around violence – as much – like now, but normally the fox couldn't keep his trap shut enough and felt like he had to make a comment on every little thing I did or said. Normally our conversations were more like arguments where we tried to out do the other. Before, I was scared shitless when I recognized that nagging, animal-like, voice in the back of my mind as Kyuubi. I did my best to ignore his presence as much as possible. Damn that fox for being so fucking stubborn and not taking the hint…

Now, I kind of find his presence a little… comforting. Hell, I'm still scared that one day he'll take over and go on a rampage, but for now I like having these inner conversations. These daily conversations that we engage in somehow have me laughing in the end.

'_**Take what I said into consideration, Kit. I know what I'm talking about.' **_

'**No offense – okay scratch that. Big offense, you're locked up in a cage that's within my body. Obviously your version of "respect" failed miserably.'**

'_**A minor setback.'**_

The damned thing didn't know when to quit.

I was going to voice a retort when my ears picked up on a scream. My instincts kicked in and I started to search for the origin of the noise. No one else seemed to have picked it up, since everyone in the city was going about their business. I got into the defensive as the scream pierced through my eardrums even louder. How the hell could these people _not _notice the screaming?

'_**It's your enhanced sense, Kit.' **_Oh, that makes _perfect _sense now. _**'I suggest you don't stick your head in where it doesn't belong or else you'll lose it.' **_

'**You really don't learn, do you?' **I haven't listened to Kyuubi's suggestions so far. What the hell makes him think I would start listening now? Zoning in on the voice, I let my intuition take over my body and lead me towards the opening of an alleyway. Despite it being really sunny today, the sun couldn't reach the alley so it was covered in darkness. I nearly gulped, but another scream shattered and I had to go through with it.

Putting away the small sense of fear that tried to grip onto me, I ran into the darkness. The alley was long, really long, and it felt like I was running down the narrow strip – dodging trashcans, cats, and homeless people – forever. It was only a matter of time until I found the source of all that screaming.

"You little brat!" the ring leader out of the two grabbed the kid by the collar and slammed him against the wall. There was sickening thud and the kid looked like he was about to lose consciousness. "Don't think 'cause your gramps is all powerful and shit that yah can start waltzing around our territory like yer high and mighty!"

"Beat the shit outta 'im, boss!" his lackey was cheering on the sidelines with a baseball bat in his hands.

Alright, I had to step in there before things got even more out of hand!

"Hey you!"

The two thugs turned around to face me. Ring Leader dropped the kid on the ground so he could crack his knuckles. His face looked rather angry that I was interrupting his beating session. But then his eyes widened and I could only guess that he figured out who I was.

"Well lookie what we have here." He laughed and elbowed his partner in the ribs. "It's the monster prince comin' in to save da day! What a joke!"

"I've always wanted to beat da shit outta 'im, boss!" his partner looked even more derange than Ring Leader was. He patted his baseball bat against the palm of his hands before getting into a stance as if he was about to hit a baseball. "The whole city will love us if we kill 'im, eh boss?"

"We'll finally get some respect around here." There was that word again – respect. This time brought up for all the wrong reasons.

It was now or never. If I didn't do something they'd not only hurt the kid, but probably me as well. Although the only fear I had was getting whacked in the head by that baseball bat. It was freaking steel! Getting into my own attack position, I didn't call on the Kyuubi this time. Secretly I've been doing some training by myself, honing on my own skills and strengths. The results were pretty good so far. I was getting stronger, faster, and my attacks had a little more impact.

This was going to be fun.

Ring Leader lunged out me first, trying to tackle me down for a pummeling. I dodged out of the way easily enough, and with is back turned all I had to do was kick him and he was down on the ground. His lackey looked to be shocked, but he overcame it and went for me swinging his back. It was so uncoordinated that at first he was going to hit me. I had to dodge a few swings, until I finally found my rhythm and caught the bat in my hands.

I smirked, "Didn't see that coming now did yah?" ripping the bat out of his hands, I landed a perfect kick to the stomach that sent the lackey sailing into a pile of trash.

"You little bitch!" Aww, I thought I had already taken care of Ring Leader. What a pain in the ass. Turning around, I saw that he had pulled out a small knife on me. Wimp, he couldn't even fight me hand-to-hand. I sighed, dodging every stab he attempted to make at me. Pein told me once that the angrier you made an opponent; the easier it was for you to win a battle. Anger clouded your mind and you no longer cared about the technical aspects of a battle, but rather beating the shit out of the other person. Now for me, my anger normally gave me more power, but others got lost in the fury and they ended up with their asses kicked painfully.

Like Ring Leader was about to be, for example.

"Is that the best you can do?" I taunted, dodging another stab. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the kid was frozen to the spot, shaking in fear. I flashed him a smile, telling him everything was going to be just fine. I don't know whether he caught on or not, but he seemed to calm down.

This fight was going on for way too long, and dancing with this thug was starting to get boring. Crouching down, I shot my hand up and grabbed the thug by the wrist. He never saw it coming, and with a little pressure, he dropped the knife. Standing up, I twisted his arm behind his back and brought him to his knees.

"Fuck!" he screamed as I twisted it even more. "Let go of me you bitch!"

"I'm not a bitch." I stated calmly, adding in more pressure. God, Pein's sadistic ways were somewhat rubbing off on me.

"You monster, let go!"

"Am I really the monster here?" I dropped my voice to a whisper, eyes suddenly growing solemn. "I wasn't the one beating up a poor little kid in an alleyway. If that wasn't cruelty then I don't know what is. Now you're going to leave with your lackey over there and never bother this kid again. If you fail to do that, I will hunt you down and _break_ your arm this time." I kicked him in the back and Ring Leader fell to the ground in a huff. "No one threatens the safety of my people."

I smiled triumphantly watching Ring Leader run away with his lackey, their tails between their legs. A sigh escaped my lips as I rolled my shoulders. That was really too easy. I couldn't even consider that a work out. Now I suppose I should check out the kid; my next priority.

"Hey there," I whispered softly as I bent down to his level. He looked a little shocked at first, shivering with tears and blood staining his face, he even had a little snot running down his nose. "You don't have to worry about those goons anymore. Naruto Uzumaki here took care of them!"

"That…"

I raised my hand to stop him, a small smile on my face. "I know. You must think of me as a monster too. I'm really not like that, though. If they ever bother you again tell me. I may be the prince and all, but I'll kick a few asses if they mess with yah."

The kid blinked at me, probably stupefied that the supposed monster was so nice and protective. Which is true – I am very nice. Then, a small smile spread across his lips.

"That was so cool, Naruto Uzumaki! _You _were so cool!"

That was the first time anyone has ever called me "cool".

+Eclipse+

After I got the kid to calm down and wiped away all the snot, blood, and tears, I learned that his name was Konohamaru Sarutobi, and that his old man was a diplomat. I've seen his gramps around the castle sometimes. He always had this air around him that if you overstepped your boundaries with him, he would crush you. That's why I never got so close to him. But listening to this kid on my back gabbing on and on about his gramps made me think differently. Perhaps he was a good guy after all and I was always misjudging him because I never took the time to get to know him.

Ha, the irony of it all.

"You were so cool back there, Naruto Uzumaki! When you dodged that guy's baseball and then kicked him right into the trash! POW! It was so… so…"

"So cool?" I added in with a snicker.

"Yeah! That's it!"

I couldn't help but blush. My ego was seriously getting fed by Konohamaru's praises. "Oh I wasn't _that_ cool. I'm pretty sure anyone could have done it."

"No way, Naruto Uzumaki! I thought I was going to be a goner if you didn't come into save me!"

I laughed and ruffled Konohamaru's hair. I liked this kid. I liked him a lot. His was nice to me. Didn't see me as a monster. And had this amazing amount of energy that was infectious. I deemed this kid as my new favorite.

"_Look at him. Hanging onto the back of a monster. Poor kid's going to get himself hurt." _

I thought those comments with dulled knives wouldn't have affected me too much, but I couldn't help flinching at the… the pity and venom that were mixed into her words. It was hard to hang your head up high when people were constantly whispering at you and pointing. No! Naruto, you're stronger than this! You can't let these people get the satisfaction of seeing you hurt!

"Naruto Uzumaki?" Konohamaru leaned forward and poked my cheek. "What's wrong?"

"Haha, it's nothing Konohamaru!" I had to put on an act. I couldn't let him see me so affected by their words. I was this kid's hero right now! A hero does _not _let other's opinions get to him.

"Hmm…" he wasn't believe a second of it. His head whipped around left and right. I think he could catch on to what people was saying or the gist of what they were saying, because every time he tried to make eye contact with someone they'd look away.

"_Oh look, the monster's gotten himself new prey. And it's Sarutobi's grandkid no less!"_

"_I wish the king would just drive out the demon. It's sickening having to look at him."_

"Hey you!" Oh God! Please don't tell me Konohamaru's about to do what I think he is.

"Konohamaru!"

"W-What?" Obviously the man and his wife were taken aback that Konohamaru had caught on to what they were saying. Wasn't that difficult really since they weren't being considerate enough to whisper.

"You don't even _know _Naruto Uzumaki and you're calling him a monster! You guys are the monsters! Naruto Uzumaki is the coolest and kindest guy I know! Either take back what you said or I'll personally beat in your faces!"

Tears, they were running down my face as a grin started to take over. That was the first time anyone inside the city had _ever _stood up for me. It was even better watching the stunned faces of everyone around us. Sarutobi's grandson standing up for the demon prince? It was probably unheard of to them. But I loved it. I felt that it was actually possible to get people to notice me as the human, the prince, and gain their respect.

"Thank you, Konohamaru." I whispered softly.

Konohamaru hugged onto my tighter, "Anytime, Naruto."

+Eclipse+

"Konohamaru, what did I tell you about getting yourself in trouble?"

"Sorry, Gramps!" Konohamaru whined, he even threw in some puppy dog eyes for added effect. "It won't every happen again. I promise!"

"It better not." Sarutobi growled and ordered the kid inside. I couldn't help but laugh at their antics. It sort of reminded me of how I would act with my dad. Sarutobi looked up, and out of courtesy he bowed, but there was a small smile on his face. "Thank you for bringing him home, Naruto-sama."

"He was so cool, Gramps!" Konohamaru called out from the inside of their house. "He showed those thugs what's what!"

"Konohamaru!" Sarutobi snapped. Konohamaru squeaked and ran back inside from the wrath of his grandfather.

"It was nothing. No need to thank me." I rubbed the back of my head nervously. Seriously, I wasn't used to this much praise from other people. It was sort of nerve racking.

"No. I must thank you. If it weren't for you I probably wouldn't see my grandson come home again…" he smiled fondly and reached up to pat my shoulder. "I never viewed you as a monster, Naruto-sama. Do not let what people say about you bring you down. If they do not see your good attributes, then make it so that you stand out for the good you have and not the evil. You have earned my respect. And I can not wait to see what you will become as our future king."

Fuck. It's moments like these that I can't help the few stray tears that run down my face. Konohamaru stuck his head out the window and yelled, "I'm rooting for you too, Naruto! I'll be your number one supporter!"

Their words of support and kindness gave me a new found hope for myself. I was going to gain the respect of the people of Soleil. It wasn't impossible for me anymore! On the way home, I thanked God for this moment and wiped the tears away.

"Can't cry now, Naruto. You've got a city to win over."

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><p>Ta daaaa~ Chapter Nine done and done :3. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I did! I loved Konohamaru's outburst on the people like BAM 8D. Ahaaaa.<p>

Anywho! Leave a review on the way out, please :]. Feedback pumps me up, yo!

Till next time ^^


	10. Fallen

Thank you one and all for your reviews & to everyone who has added this to their favorites and alerts! I give you all hugs and a free ticket for World Peace :o. Oh... and cookies! Can't forge the cookies ;D

Now this chapter really took a mind of it's own while I was writing this o.o. Perhaps because I was lulled by the seductive voices of Shou from Alice Nine and Ruki from the Gazette... hmmm. Anywho, this is rather dark (I'd say) and shows how much Sasuke had changed over the years along with some of the things he had to deal with. Mind you, this is just the tip of the ice berg ;D

**Warning: Umm.. Death o.o. But not a main character's death though! So it's all good. And some minor swearing :P**

**Disclaimer: Puts on a shirt that says I own Naruto & exits out of house- *five minutes later* - Comes back with a "don't" written between "I" and "own" on my shirt" v.v. **

Enjoy :3. If you have any questions or comments or constructive criticism don't be afraid to voice them :o.**  
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><p><strong>Chapter Ten: Fallen<strong>

"_I'm an angel that has fallen from Heaven. My pure white wings are tainted by Evil. I am no longer the boy I was when I left three years ago. What I am now… I don't know. I can't remember." – Sasuke Uchiha, age 17._

Three years. It had been three, long, years since Sasuke had left to train with the legendary nomad, Orochimaru. What he thought would be a fun yet rewarding learning experience was anything but. Orochimaru had opened him up to a world that, at first, scared the living daylights out of him. He was so young at the time and no fourteen year old should have had to seen the things Sasuke had to. However, over time, Sasuke slowly got used to Death and would even say he was quite acquainted with.

After all, it's hard to ignore Death when you're the one that inflicts it.

His body had changed as well over the years. Instead of being short, he was taller and had started to fill out in more places. He had muscles, but they were bulky and protruding. They were there, though, if he flexed you'd be able to see all the hard work Sasuke had put into gaining the muscle mass he had now. His speed had increased exponentially as well, making him harder to hit but his attacks much deadlier. Orochimaru had also taken the time to make his body an indestructible weapon against the strongest of poisons and magic. It was a grueling process. And more times than not Sasuke thought those were his final moments on Earth. Still, his body had managed to become immune and he no longer had to worry about if rebels or other enemies tried to poison him. Strangely enough… every time Sasuke felt like he was at Death's door he would see a spiky mop of blonde hair that seemed to reach for the sun. The owner of that hair's face was always blurred, but never his smile. The smile was what kept on bringing Sasuke back over and over again. It looked so familiar and at the same time so foreign. He tried to wrack his mind around it, where he'd seen it before, only to come up with a blank slate. That infuriated him to no end. Sasuke needed to know things, because who he is If he was left in the dark, or when the dots were not connecting fast enough, he got annoyed. He'd find himself lying in whatever small cot or expensive bed Orochimaru had got them to lodge in for the night thinking about that wonderfully bright smile and that golden mop of hair…

But the light bulb would never ding.

The biggest change that Sasuke went through, though, was his blood lust. Mind you, he still hated killing. He hated knowing that another person's hand other than his own stained his hands. Cleaning the blood of his sword and knives was becoming more and more of a difficult task as his mind mockingly replayed the victim's death over and over again. Their screams for mercy, their attempts to escape, and how he had to stand there and watch it all with a sick smile on his face to appease his "Master". It sickened him to the very core so much he threw up every once in a while. And although he'd be reluctant to admit it… his heart was slowly starting to catch up with his mind that killing was… okay. No. Not like that. It would _never _be okay. But the warped reality he was forced to live deemed it okay if the man or woman at the end of his blade had done a horrible wrong.

He was becoming cold blooded, ready to kill without a hesitations moment. The more he stared at himself in the cracked mirror, hand reaching out to touch the damaged object and examine his more, matured, face. He couldn't recognize the man that stared back at him…

The first person he had ever killed was a street thug. His name Sasuke would always remember although Orochimaru had told him time and time again that learning the name of a soon-to-be corpse would make it all the harder to kill. He hated that man's sense of logic. Kill to get ahead of the world. Kill to hide your secrets that were spread to the wrong person. Kill for the thrill…

Kaoru. That was his name. He had a wife and a son, almost five. Sasuke only learned this because his mission was to learn everything about the thug, weasel his way into his life, and become… a friend. Only to slice whatever form of camaraderie Sasuke had built with his sword. Kaoru was only a thug to help his family. He never took the big jobs his boss provided like 'taking out the trash'. Kaoru was simply content on picking up money and handling with trade-offs. Sasuke had instantly bonded with the man because they were both involved with something neither one really wanted to get in to the first place.

Finding that common ground made it so hard to end his life…

It was raining that night. Sasuke remembered that day vividly. The rain poured mercilessly on him. Thunder rang through the sky and lightning crackled in the air. His grip tightened on his newest sword, thinking that God must have been angry with what he was about to do. Hence the spontaneous thunderstorm. A few hours before, and Sasuke was considering running out. He was well known in this part of the country they were staying. If he remembered correctly they were staying in Ame(1) for a while because Orochimaru had business to deal with. The Luna Empire would only take a few days by train. He could have escaped. But he didn't. His pride wouldn't let him. The fear that Orochimaru would get angry and find him, possibly leading to a very painful punishment made him stay. He didn't want to kill Kaoru. Kaoru was his friend… he made him feel like he had gained a bit of his humanity. The only reason why he was forced to kill his mind was because he learned something he shouldn't have. And that put Orochimaru's client in a difficult position. So the man had to be killed.

Thunder rang through out the air, the electricity crackled once more in the sky. Sasuke was standing in an alleyway, cloaked by the shadows, his red eyes shining in the darkness. His Sharingan was trained on the outline of his victim. Kaoru always came to this alleyway at nights, allowing the stress of his double life of happy father by day and street thug by night to finally send him into a breakdown. Sasuke's heart went out of the man. It really did. And once more he felt his grip on the sword's handle tighten.

_Kill him. Do it now when he's weak. _

_Being weak will bring you down. You don't need weak people in your life._

_Severe the bonds between you two… and use it to make you stronger._

Sasuke gulped. He hated this. He hated this so much that he almost turned around and ran back. Almost. But Orochimaru's voice rang in his mind over and over again.

_Kill him, Sasuke-kun. Kill him now._

The raven chewed on the inside of his cheek until he tasted the metallic flavor of blood mix with his saliva. He was going to hate himself for this in the morning. But he couldn't stop himself from unsheathing his sword and raising it high above his head. He was going to hate himself so much… but he had to steel his heart. He had to stop those feelings of regret and remorse from what he was about to do. Strength wouldn't come to the weak.

As he forced his apprehensions aside, Luck decided to play a cruel twist of fate. Kaoru, the after effects of his breakdown making him shiver, turned to him with eyes rimmed in red and tear stains on his cheeks. At first he looked scared. His eyes widened in fear and shock at seeing his 'friend' raising a sword towards him. But then a strange sense of peace washed over him as he stared into the face of Death.

"Sasuke." He nodded, almost coming to terms that his life was about to come to an end so short.

Sasuke gulped, his grip on his sword handle tightened, and he lowered it a little. "Kaoru." He voice was a whisper; however it traveled through the air and reached Kaoru.

The man smiled a little. "You've come to kill me, huh?"

He couldn't find his voice to answer.

Kaoru chuckled, although it was empty and void of emotion. "I knew my days were limited. Who would have thought I'd die at the hands of my friend?"

That was a stab right in the heart. He had called him a friend, still thought of him as a companion. Why in the world was Life so cruel? Why could he had just stayed in the Luna Empire and grown stronger on his own. This wasn't worth it. Strength couldn't be worth this much if it meant killing a friend…

_Kill him. Do it now._

"Thank you." Another stab to the heart. Sasuke lowered his sword fully as the man did the unexpected. He hugged him. Outright hugged him as if he was saying goodbye. When they parted, Kaoru was crying again, but this time with a smile. "You were a good friend. It was nice to have someone to unload all my heavy baggage on. I know you have your reasons… but promise me you'll never tell my family about what I did. Please? That's a secret I'll carry to my grave…"

'_It's alright if I'm killed by your hands.'_

Sasuke held back the tears that were fighting to break through the surface. Forcing back his hesitation, he plunged his sword into Kaoru's stomach, twisted, and then extracted it. Kaoru's blood stained the blade, and Sasuke had to watch with a steeled expression as he friend fell to the floor with that peaceful smile still on his face.

Sasuke was only fifteen then when he first killed.

For the first time in fifteen years Sasuke had openly cried, though his sobs were silent.

Feeling the guilt wash over him, Sasuke did his best to push back those feelings. To stay strong and sturdy for he knew his 'Master' was watching him from the shadows. He couldn't leave Kaoru's body like this though. So he did what was right and closed the man's eyes, whispered a few prayers, and placed his body against a wall. That was all he could do.

After that, Sasuke no longer went far enough to become friends with his victims. And if he did, he never used his real name. Less familiarity that way when it came time to kill them.

A few months at a time Sasuke would send half of how much he earned working with Orochimaru to Kaoru's family as an anonymous benefactor. It was the only thing he thought of that could someone cleanse his sins.

But as the rain poured down on him, mixing in with the blood on his blade and the blood on the ground, Sasuke knew he'd never get forgiveness. That this man's death would always be on his hands, as countless others would.

What made him feel the worst, though, was the sickly satisfying grin he saw on Orochimaru's face when he reported about his first, successful, kill.

Now, Sasuke could say with a sick calmness that killing was second nature to him now. Granted it wasn't his _first _option. But when he felt his life was in danger, or when he was sent on missions by his 'Master' Sasuke killed without a second's hesitation. He was growing into the perfect killing machine…

+Eclipse: What Have I Become?+

He had that dream again.

The dream when he's leading a beautiful blonde in a Waltz. Though their version was a lot sloppier than what they were originally taught. He saw himself laughing, like there wasn't a care in the world as he held the blonde in his arms. This dream was becoming a reoccurrence. The emotions he felt in his surreal reality seemed so real that Sasuke had to wonder if it actually happened and wasn't a figment of his warped imagination.

Holding the blonde in his arms felt so _right_. So… so _real_. That Sasuke wished it was a reality, rather than not. The laughter that surrounded them enveloped him in warmth that he desperately yearned for. However, although they were surrounded by so many people, Sasuke felt as though it was just him in the blonde dancing to the music that filled the ballroom.

Just him and the blonde…

They laughed. They smiled. They shared words that Sasuke couldn't hear, but the strange sense of familiarity never left him. And every morning when he woke up from that same dream, Sasuke found his arms stretched out wide towards the ceiling as if he were trying to grasp something.

+Eclipse+

After a grueling sparing session with Kabuto – he hated that man to the fullest – Sasuke collapsed on a bench, a sweat breaking out. The man was a sneaky bastard and had faked an attack him quicker than Sasuke could block. Instant K.O. He'd get Kabuto back for that later.

"Too slow." Kabuto smiled innocently.

"Too cocky." Sasuke shot right back. He wasn't in the mood to deal with Kabuto's superiority complex.

The man shrugged and left the room after that, much to Sasuke's enjoyment. He wanted to gym to himself so he could unleash his pent up frustrations on an unlucky punching bag. This would be their last week until New Years. The weather was harsh outside, but the gym was properly kept at room temperature. Perhaps it was because Orochimaru was more snake than human and any hotter would mean the death of him? Whatever the reason was, Sasuke didn't complain. All he wanted really was to wipe off his sweat and get a quick swig of his water before finding a sandbag.

A quick swig of water turned into huge gulps that left him craving more. Still, if he drank anymore he'd probably never want to come off from the bench again. Sighing, he capped his water bottle and went over to the many sandbags that were hanging over in the corner. He went for the sturdiest, biggest, and most durable one and started his onslaught. When he was training by himself, using a sandbag, training with his sword, or just going out for a run. Anything that kept him away from Orochimaru enough so he could just focus on _himself _was what Sasuke loved. It gave him the chance to either get his thoughts in order or erase his thoughts all together.

Today… he wanted to get his thoughts in order.

Recently he had started to think _why _he went with Orochimaru in the first place. Every time he tried to think back to the day he left three days ago, the night before was always a blur. Something gnawed at his mind that he was missing a very important piece to the puzzle, but he just couldn't find it. He had tried to ask Kabuto, but the man was as elusive as a snake and managed to dodge the question with great skill. Orochimaru was the same, saying that it didn't matter what happened. He was there now and couldn't change that. Somehow, he felt like they were keeping something from him. And he had every right to think that.

He had to have talked to his family the night before, right? Said goodbye to his friends before the long separation? Yet he couldn't remember anything. All he remembered was the mini-party his father threw celebrating the day his training would start. But even that was blurry.

So, that lead him to wonder _why _he had joined Orochimaru in the first place. Were his reasons for leaving selfish or were they for the sake of someone else? Sasuke always leaned on the former because he could never remember anyone he had grown closer enough – asides his brother – that he would put his selfish desires out-of-the-way for that one person. But nowadays, he was starting to think that the former was true.

His dreams told him as such.

The boy with the golden blonde hair and a smile like the sun. Dancing in the ballroom with the blonde to their own version of the waltz. And a most recent one – the forest. He didn't know why he was in the forest to begin with, but he just let the dream play out for itself. Cloaked in a black robe, Sasuke was engaged in a conversation with the same blonde from all his other dreams, but this one was much younger. He remembered all the sensations Dream Sasuke had. The wanting to kill the blonde yet he couldn't because it would go against his initial plans. Then the scene shifted to a tiger with white fur highlighted in purple and three tails. The tiger lashed out at both of them, and Sasuke only felt the need to protect the blonde over take him. After that the scene went back to both him and the blonde, but this time they had scars on alternating arms, and smiles on their faces.

Sasuke stopped his barrage of attacks to stare down at his left arm. That scar was still there, throbbing against his skin as if it was calling out to him. He couldn't remember when or when he got that scar until now. Fighting in the forest against that target to save the blonde. The blonde that always kept reappearing in his dreams over again. The blonde he sought for unconsciously, wanting to know everything about him and why he never left his mind. He felt like that blonde meant more to him than what he already knows. Sasuke even thought that the blonde could bring back his humanity…

"Fuck…" he slammed a punch at the sandbag. It hit the opposing wall with a loud 'bang' and the sand started to spill from the small crack that formed from the force of the punch. Sasuke dropped to the ground slowly, forcing his eyes shut to keep away the tears. He wasn't going to cry. He wasn't going to get frustrated. He couldn't. This was his life now. Those dreams were nothing more but figments created in his mind to torture him. They couldn't be real. Not if he had no recollection of them ever happening. But that still didn't explain how _genuine _those feelings felt every time he had those dreams.

His scar throbbed painfully now, causing Sasuke to hiss and grab his left on. It throbbed and it throbbed, forcing Sasuke to remember. He hissed once more as another painful throb danced along his mouth and a name popped into his head. Seven syllables. So familiar yet so strange. It wanted to be voiced. It wanted Sasuke to say its name, over and over again until he accepted it was real.

Sasuke slumped forward, breathing heavily as the scar kept on throbbing and throbbing…

"Naruto Uzumaki…"

That was all he needed. The name sent his walls crashing down one by one. He still didn't recognize the name, but the face of the blonde in his dreams suddenly became clearer. His memories were still jumbled; still he realized that the Naruto Uzumaki was the same blonde that kept bubbling over and over again in his mind. He said the name. He said it until his throat was raw and his lips were chapped.

He said the name until it became real to him.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

Little did he know that Kabuto was watching from the doorway with a scowl on his face. The door was cracked opened slightly so he could watch and hear everything Sasuke said. His face was overtaken by the shadow as he slowly closed the door, leaving Sasuke to drown his puddle of his tears and wails. He shook his head as he walked to find Orochimaru to tell him that his little protégé was starting to slip.

"And after all the years we took to break him too… What a shame."

+Eclipse+

They decided to take a carriage back to the Luna Empire – the more under the radar incase any one of Orochimaru's enemies decided to attack. Kabuto played it off as taking the 'scenic route' but Sasuke had hotly shot back that they could see a lot of the 'scenic route' if they had taken the express train.

"After three years you're finally heading home." Kabuto turned around in his seat next to Orochimaru and plastered the fakest smile Sasuke had ever seen on the man's face. "Excited?"

Sasuke shrugged his face completely passive. Over the years he had also learn to hide his emotions from people. "Not really." Lie.

"Are you sure? I'd thought for sure you'd want to show off how much stronger you've gotten."

Another shrug, "Not really." Indifferent.

Orochimaru simply frowned at Kabuto and forced him to sit down. "Do not annoy Sasuke-kun any further, Kabuto." He leaned in closer to whisper in the man's ear, "Or else face punishment later on tonight…"

Sasuke shivered vividly. He truly found the sight of Orochimaru repulsive now that he thought of it. Screw him being a legend! And screw him again for making him as strong as he was! It felt great to have such power but it didn't mean anything if he couldn't remember the reason why he wanted it in the first place. Lord knew it didn't help that Orochimaru had tried to make a few passes at him over the years.

Kabuto, who found the idea of being punished a turned on, risked his ass by turning back around again and speaking once more. "I must say, Sasuke. You shouldn't frown like that. After all…" the corners of his lips perked up deviously. His next words were laced with a dangerous intent, "you're going to be in for one, unforgettable, reunion."

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><p>(1) Ame = Rain in Japanese. That's what Google Translate told me, so correct me if I'm wrong.<p>

Is Sasuke suffering from amnesia :o? Lmfao, I don't even know! Like I said this chapter took a mind of its own o.o. Liike, I didn't even plan for Sasuke to have his memories all fucked up, but it works in my favor anyway 8D

NYAPPY WORLD! Sorry, that songs playing through grooveshark right now. Go An Cafe! LISTEN TO IT :O. IT GETS YOU PUMPED YO!

Now then, next chapter shall be the Reunion between Sasuke and Naruto. Hmm.. wonder how that'll go down.

Till next time eh ;D.

*I'm thinking of changing my name to PANDAmonium... only b/c my new avatar is a panda... LMFAO. But it might not happen :3.*


	11. Reunion

Well. Here's the big reunion chapter you've all be waiting for! Thank you for my one reviewer who reviewed last time ;D. Lots of love. And thank you one and all for adding this story to your favs and alerts. I shall be leaving for Jamaica Monday to visit family, and you won't be getting any updates for two weeks. I'll make up for it when I get back though! Promise. -pinky promises- :3.

You guys know how I have quotes at the beginning of every chapter? Yeah? Yeah :D. Have any quotes you'd like to share with meee? :]. I'd love to hear them since I have trouble thinking of quotes sometimes.

**Warning: The usual. A tad bit fluffay... -coughs- 8D.**

**Disclaimer: My stuffed panda says I don't own Naruto... ):**

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><p><strong>Chapter Eleven: Reunion <strong>

"_I remember the lost look in his eyes. I was staring at Sasuke… but it wasn't actually Sasuke. He was just an empty vessel of the boy I once knew. Where did my Sasuke go?" – Naruto Uzumaki, age 16._

"At least look like you're _happy _to be here, Naruto." Sakura scolded and not-so-lightly punched Naruto on the arm. She had filled out rather well over the years. Not only was she not shy anymore, she had become insanely strong and beautiful in the blonde's eyes. Though he couldn't say he held anymore affection towards her that lead to anything romantic. Now he only saw her as a sister. A sister that could easily kick his ass if he rubbed her the wrong way.

Naruto pouted, rubbing his abused arm that was _still _throbbing, and shot Sakura a glare. "Excuse me! But I _am _having fun here. Until _someone _decided it was a good idea to punch me!"

Sakura scoffed and proceeded to drag the whining blonde onto the dance floor. "Is this how you treat all your dates? Because if it is I feel very sorry for the unlucky people that had to deal with your whining ass all night long."

"It's not like I wanted you here!" Naruto was even more irritable today than on one of his good days. It wasn't because Sakura was being a bitch – in a good way – because that's how she always was. That's their relationship in general. The bitch and the whiner. From afar it looked like they hated each others' guts or they hid their true feelings under the form of bullying, but really they found they clicked together better when they clashed.

The pink-haired girl spun around on her heel and jabbed her gloved finger into Naruto's chest. "Look. I know that tonight isn't going to be a walk in the park. Sasuke's just come back and you're still feeling shitty about what happened three years ago. Which, by the way, I have to admit you were a total asshole about it."

"Not _helping _Sakura."

She ignored Naruto and continued. "Either way. This is Sasuke's big coming home party. You're his best friend. Can you do the math from there?"

Naruto folded his arms over his chest and scowled. "You know I suck at math."

Sakura groaned out of annoyance and threw her hands in the air. "You, Naruto Uzumaki, are insufferable! I'm going to grab some punch. When I get back here you better be in a good mood, got it?" she smiled way too innocently for saying such a dangerous threat and amiably patted Naruto on the cheek. "Till then." Then she went off for a drink.

The blonde accepted the welcoming gulps of air with earnest. Every time he was around Sakura when she felt bossy, it was like all the air was sucked up so only she alone could speak. He loved the girl to death. Would do anything to make her smile after how close they've become over the years. But seriously… the girl needed a hobby. _'Or at least some medication for her freaking anger issues.'_ He jammed his hands into the pockets of his black trousers and scanned the crowd for his dad or Pein. In reality, though, he was looking for a certain raven amongst the crowd. He knew that parties were never really Sasuke's scene, but this was thrown for him after all. Naruto snorted. _'I wouldn't be surprised if he holed himself up in his room again.' _

That was a fun little memory. A few years ago, months before Sasuke left, they had thrown a surprise birthday party for the raven prince. Courtesy of no one other than Naruto Uzumaki himself, the prince's best friend. It was an elaborate, well thought out, plan that Sasuke never saw coming. More than once Naruto's little scheme was almost out of the bag, but he easily side-tracked Sasuke's train of thought before he actually connected the dots. The party was huge, because Itachi had called in people and with the Holo-Network it was easy to post up information about the party. Naruto had tracked down the few friends Sasuke had and invited them all the come. On the day of the party, it took all the whining, promising, and baiting in the world to get Sasuke to comply with his wishes.

It was amazing what a promise of having Naruto as his personal servant for a day could coax Sasuke into.

After that, Naruto had thrust Sasuke into the party, and watched with an amused smile as Sasuke got attacked by friends and close family members alike. It was pleasing to see Sasuke open up a little, though he couldn't help but feel this weird pang of jealousy seeing his raven prince get taken away…

Weird, huh?

Back to the present, Naruto had found himself swimming through the crowd hoping to find Itachi or even Sasuke's father, just so he could ask if they've seen Sasuke. He had been in close contact with Itachi over the years because Sasuke refused to talk to him – a stab in the heart – but always sent letters to his brother. At first it was jealousy. Jealousy over the fact that after all they went through together, the raven couldn't even send him one lousy letter! Then, the jealousy turned into loneliness and longing, and before the blonde knew it he was visiting Itachi once every three months – that's when they got the letters – and hung on every word Itachi said as he read Sasuke's letters aloud. They were always vague and asked trivial questions like how the empire was. How their mother and father were doing. And how Itachi was in general.

But he never asked about Naruto.

As he shifted through the crowd, Naruto felt another stab of sadness embed its way into his heart. It stopped him in his tracks and made him rethink what he was doing. Why was he searching so hard for Sasuke when the raven made it obvious he wanted nothing to do with him anymore? He bit on his bottom lip hard, the metallic taste of blood on his tongue. Was he being stupid? Was looking for Sasuke the wrong move? Hell, maybe just being at this party was stupid. But his father had forcibly dragged him here – with the help of Pein and Sakura – saying that it would be good for them to reconnect after so many years. He had no idea, though, that Sasuke had pretty much threw out Naruto like a piece of trash.

'_Bastard,' _Naruto inwardly snarled and clenched his fists. _'I know I was immature back then and ran away without talking to him about it but… I thought I meant more than that to him! How can he ditch me so easily…?' _

He didn't realize it… but he was crying.

"Naruto?" a voice rang in his ears, instantly snapping him out of his thoughts. Naruto whirled around and stared at the concern on Itachi's face. He looked worse for wear, slightly paler than usual and dark circles around his eyes.

"Hey, Itachi." He mumbled and accepted the offered glass of punch from Itachi's hand. Sipping the liquid, he felt a little calmer as the party drink buzzed in his system. "You look like shit." He added, "No offense."

The raven prince shook his head, a small smile tugged at his lips. Naruto was being blunt, as always. "None taken. I know I look pretty… shitty." He added in with a smirk, and Naruto grinned. Sadly, his small moment of happiness shattered. "Have you seen Sasuke yet?"

Naruto shook his head, trying to force back the waves of sadness that wanted to overpower him. "Nope. Haven't seen the bastard all night."

Itachi nodded and said no more. He seemed to be lost in thought.

Before Naruto could ask what was wrong, Sakura came back and latched herself onto Naruto's arm. She seemed a tad bit woozy, though where she got the alcohol Naruto would never know. He could only assume someone had spiked her punch.

"Neeee, Narutooo!" Sakura giggled and leaned her head on Naruto's shoulder. He sighed, shooting Itachi a look that clearly said 'Help' but the man was no use. He was still caught up in his own thoughts. "Did yah find 'im yet?"

"You mean, Teme?" the blonde decided if he might as well humor her for the time being.

"Yes! Who else?"

"Then no, I haven't found him."

"Fuckin' sucks," Sakura pouted. And that was the end of that conversation.

Soon, the banter around them hushed to a quiet buzz. Itachi's head whipped up to look at the looming figure on the top of the staircase. Naruto looked up as well, puzzled by what Itachi was so wide-eyed about, until his own blue orbs spotted the looming figure as well. He was tall, broader, and leaner than three years ago. He was wearing a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of black slacks. No tie on whatsoever and the buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned enough so you could see some very delicious skin. Half the girls in the room nearly swooned to death.

Naruto gaped aloud. His eyes trailed over the foreign body until they landed on the boy's face. It was sharper, more defined and angular, and all the emotions Naruto was used to seeing on that face were no longer there. There was a mask left in its wake. He gulped, feeling a variety of emotions start to overtake him. He was shocked to see how different the boy from three years ago had become. It scared him to think of all the things he learned from Orochimaru, who was currently hovering over him like an annoying fly. Then, he felt angry. Angry that Sasuke had not _once _sent him an email or a letter. Angry over the fact that he didn't even _bother _to ask about him or seek him out at the party. And then he felt anger towards Orochimaru for taking his friend away in the first place. He was livid at himself as well, for being so stupid back then, for not realizing his feelings sooner…

Their eyes met, and for a split second he thought he saw a flash of recognition go by on Sasuke's face. That had to mean something, right? But a quickly as it came, it went as soon as Orochimaru placed his arm on the boy's shoulder. Naruto narrowed his eyes, watching the snake bastard whisper something into the raven's ears. The light that was in the boy's eyes diminished as Orochimaru pulled back.

Naruto curled his fists, feeling his anger start to rise. Orochimaru had something to do with this… he could feel it.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, first I would like to give you all gratitude from the bottom of my heart for coming out tonight." Fugaku's face appeared on the Holo-screens placed at the four corners of the ball room. He had a voice that could easily captivate a room in the matter of minutes, so everyone was hanging on his every word. "Tonight, I am proud to announce that my son Sasuke has come back from a grueling but rewarding training experience from the legendary nomad, Orochimaru!" hollers and applause broke out around the room as everyone stared and gawked at the raven prince and legendary nomad standing at the top of the staircase. Orochimaru seemed to be milking the praise for all it was worth. Sasuke, though, looked like an empty puppet.

"After three years away from home my young man has grown stronger, and as you can see, even more handsome." Oh how the crowd loved Fugaku's sense of humor. "My boy," he said, finally turning his direction to his son, "your mother has been worried sick about you, you know? And Lord knows your brother missed his dearest older brother tries hard to hide it, but I could tell he missed you too. Though I wonder where he is at the moment…" he mumbled, searching for his eldest son but couldn't spot him in the crowd. Damn it. Anyways, "Well. No matter! Sasuke, how do you feel?"

The room was silent, everyone was barely tipping over the edge in response to what Sasuke had to say. The raven cocked his head to the side, as if pondering on a thoughtful answer, before grinning wryly.

"I feel great, Father."

"Wonderful!" Fugaku exclaimed and patted his son on the back. "My boy, you must show us a few skills that you have learned from the legendary nomad!"

Sasuke turned to Orochimaru. "If that is okay with you, Master."

Orochimaru nodded, "Of course. I never pass up the chance to show off my best pupil." He then turned to the crowd and the Holo-screens lit up with his image. "Does anyone here tonight wish to face my student in combat?"

The room fell into a hush once more, though whispers erupted here and there. No one wanted to face Sasuke Uchiha – son of Fugaku Uchiha, second in line for the throne, and the best pupil of the legendary nomad Orochimaru for fear of embarrassment. That certainly didn't mean they wouldn't like to see someone try though. They just believed that no one would have the actually gall to—

"I'll do it!" a voice cried out, followed by a hand wave. Everyone whipped their head around to see the origin of the idiot—uhh, brave soul who wished to face the Uchiha.

"Naruto?" Minato asked. He was highly bewildered but all the more curious as to what his son had in store.

"That little brat." Pein chuckled and sipped some more of his wine.

"Are you serious, Naruto?" Itachi raised an eyebrow, studying Naruto's face for any apprehension, but he found nothing. All he got was a mask set in determination.

"Yaay, Naru~! Kick his ass!" Sakura cheered, hiccuping between her words.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes on the blonde who wished to face off against him. He activated his Sharingan for a brief moment before a wave of… well, he couldn't even explain the feeling. Whatever it was though, hit him and hit him _hard_.

'_Who is he…?'_

"Interesting…" Orochimaru chuckled. The playing pieces were all falling into place and he barely had to lift a finger. Though he didn't expect the Jinchuuriki Prince to be so… hot-headed. "Well, Sasuke-kun. Are you up for the challenge?"

Sasuke snorted and unsheathed his sword. The minute his hand gripped the handle, aura engulfed the blade in its electric blue light. The crowd was eating it up, apparently, and more hollers and cheers erupted forth.

Minato shook his head sadly and gripped onto Pein's arm tighter than usual. "This isn't going to end well… I can feel it."

+Eclipse: Best Friends?+

Naruto went for his weapons pocket and whipped out his dagger. He twirled it around his fingers, feeling a sense of security rush through him as he familiarized himself with his weapon of choice. It was a miracle that he was able to keep his aura stable enough to actually think straight. His aura was directly linked to his emotions more than an average human's was. Most likely it had to do with Kyuubi's influence, but then again Naruto simply was the sort of person who would act impulsive.

'_**What a kick in the ass this is!' **_Kyuubi roared with laughter inside his cage. _**'I put ten bucks on the Uchiha brat dominating you in five seconds flat.' **_

'**Are you really siding with the enemy here?' **Naruto asked in disbelief as he got into his defensive crouch. He studied Sasuke coolly under his gaze, remembering all the techniques Pein had taught him on analyzing the enemy. Watch how they stand. How they handle their weapon. Where their eyes dart to the left or the right. Though body language can easily be misinterpreted, Pein had taught him the ways to see through it.

Kyuubi snorted. _**'Well yeah. That kid's not right, Kit.'**_

'**Tell me something I don't know.'**

'_**Alright. Well for starters no one's home.'**_

'**Huh?'**

'_**He's a puppet, Kit. I can tell by his aura. A normal being's aura has more life to it, yah know? This one's completely dead.' **_

'**That can't be…'**

'_**Don't believe me?' **_Kyuubi scoffed, _**'Humans. Fine. Look at him through my eyes.'**_

Naruto sighed, but complied anyways. Closing his eyes, he allowed Kyuubi to take over his eye sight. Once he opened his eyes, not only had they changed from their bright blue to a fiery, crimson red, but now he only saw the world in aura. Everyone's aura was white, but some were more vibrant than others. Sasuke's, however, was dead. There was no life. No spark. Just a dwindling flame that was about to diminish…

What the hell happened to him?

"That's a neat trick." Sasuke said smoothly, though Naruto could point out the mocking underneath his words. The blonde bit his tongue, and simply narrowed his eyes.

"You haven't seen anything yet."

"If all you can do is change eye color, then I can't say the odds of this battle are in your favor."

Naruto snorted. "Correct me if I'm wrong but I happen to remember a _certain _bastard being able to change his eye color as well."

Now it was Sasuke's turn to snort. In a flash his blank onyx eyes changed to a burning crimson red. The first sign of emotion Naruto had seen in the raven tonight.

"I didn't think you would catch on so quickly." He gripped the handle of his sword tighter, getting into his own attack position. His eyes trained on the boy, studying him, trying to figure out his movements from his aura, but it was tainted and he couldn't tell a thing. Damn. There was something about the boy he couldn't place and it was annoying the hell out of him. Was it his strange aura? Or the weapon he used? Perhaps it was his clothing…? No…

It was his face.

"You look familiar." Sasuke blurted out, instantly cursing himself for the slip.

Naruto nearly faltered in his stance from the sudden outburst. He had steeled himself for another taunt, not a revelation. But he wouldn't be fooled by the man before him. This wasn't Sasuke… This wasn't _his _Sasuke. The boy he grew up with. The boy he… dare he say it, liked? Naruto mentally shook his head. This was not the time to go over his feelings for Sasuke. No. Now was the time to kick some sense into his head.

So instead, Naruto bit back the emotion threatening to crawl out of throat and fake pouted. "Well I hope I would. We've known each other for seven years now. Kinda hard to forget faces after that."

The raven prince frowned. Naruto was speaking utter nonsense to him. Seven years? They've known each other for that long yet this was the first time Sasuke ever remembered meeting the blonde? How was that possible? He would have known if he met Naruto because normal people didn't have whiskers on their cheeks. Then there was that golden hair of his and those sparkling blue eyes…

Golden hair…? Blue eyes…? It couldn't be…

Sasuke had no time to connect the dots though, because Naruto was already kicking his plan into action. 'First beat the shit out of Sasuke for being an asshole. Then beat the shit of him some more until he regained some common sense.' It was a fool-proof plan. He used the dagger like a mini-sword and tried to knock Sasuke's weapon out of his hand. The raven reacted quickly, though, and managed to keep a steady grip. Their weapons clashed as metal and metal clanged together. They were both struggling to win this battle of wits, but Naruto was always impatient. He smirked, and crouched down fast enough to do a sweep kick.

The raven did a beautiful back-flip and landed deftly on his feet. With no time to recover Naruto was attacking him. Barrage after barrage of fist that followed with a kick and ended with a stab with his dagger. The boy fought like a total animal, and Sasuke couldn't help but admit that it was… hot.

Naruto had no restraints when it came to fighting. Pein had told him the moment he met Sasuke again that they were mostly going to fight, so why hold anything back? Kyuubi had a little bit of influence on his movement and actions, like how he was suddenly crouched on all fours with his teeth bared. Perfect example. Naruto gripped onto his dagger, eyes narrowed as he watched Sasuke look as calm as ever. At least have the fucking decency to look tired! If there was one thing in Naruto's life he hated more than bastards who left and then came back claiming they didn't know you, were bastards that didn't even _try_.

"Is that all you've got?

Naruto growled low in his throat. His teeth were bared, almost carnal, and the whiskers that scarred his cheeks were growing broader, deeper, and thicker than they had before. Naruto had no idea what was going on. But seeing Sasuke in front of him, acting like they've never met, had made something... _snap _inside of him. He could handle Sasuke being a total asshole to him. He was used to that. Acting like he didn't remember him, though? Yeah, that was a kick in the shins for Naruto.

The anger boiled inside of him, urging him to push it out and let loose. And he almost did. Almost. He held it back, though, remembering the calming techniques Pein had taught him whenever he felt like the metaphorical pot was about to spill over. His emotions were literally bomb after bomb waiting to explode whenever Naruto lost control, and right now he _wanted _to be control. Sure, being able to beat the shit out of Sasuke like an animal would have been nice and all, to get out his frustrations, but it wouldn't be _right_.

Exhaling a breath, Naruto barely had time to shoot back a response as Sasuke's sword almost made very good friends with Naruto' stomach. A lucky swing of his hips and the sword missed his stomach by an _inch_. _'Damn it... he's playing dirty.' _He could see it by the look in Sasuke's eyes. It was provoking him to step out of line so Sasuke could show him up. He'd seen that look so many times in other people's eyes that another cold slash to the heart hit Naruto hard. It was like he was staring into the face of a stranger...

The same stranger that would judge him for what he was – what he couldn't help being. Naruto bit on the inside of his cheek. No! His Sasuke had to be in there somewhere. He wouldn't allow this... this... imposter to take over his best friend! Sasuke was _his. _And damn it, he was going to get him back!

Eyes narrowed in determination, Naruto launched himself at Sasuke and the battled continued. Metal clashed with metal. Blood splattered the floor like water droplets from a shower head. Neither side showed signs of tiring out anytime soon. Either one of them was going to win, or both sides would end up in a draw. Naruto wasn't going to end this battle in a draw. His heart was set on winning, on freeing Sasuke from whatever oppressive chains Orochimaru had placed him under, and then he was going to beat him around some more just for leaving him in the first place. After that Naruto assumed he would have a heart-to-heart with the raven prince about what happened all those years ago...

With his plan in his mind, with his goal in reach, Naruto started to fight like his life depended on it. He fought with his entire soul thrown into his punches, jabs, and kicks. He could see that, although Sasuke had become a deadly and exceptional fighter, there was only so much blocking one could do without getting tired. Their was strain showing in not only Sasuke's movements, but in his eyes as well. Naruto inwardly smirked. _'Just a few more attacks and... Shit!' _

A sneak attack. Naruto hadn't even seen it coming. Somehow Sasuke had actually manage to duplicate himself and hit Naruto from behind. Yes, another dirty tactic but really, there were no rules set for this match so everything went. Collective gasps flew around the room, and Minato nearly dropped his glass of wine onto the floor. Thank God Pein was there to stop the expensive glass from crashing. Orochimaru was smirking devilishly, though from afar it might have looked like he was pleased with his star pupil. But that wasn't exactly the case.

Sasuke's face was so close to Naruto's... His fragrance was still the same – surprisingly. It was subtle, but if you were really close to the raven – like Naruto was now – you could smell it rather well, and the scent would stick with you for a while. Onyx locks fell onto his cheeks, tickling them softly. He thought he could hear Sasuke panting, or maybe that was his own pants? Their hearts were beating obnoxiously loud, though the beats were timed so perfectly like they were one beating heart instead of two separate ones. Sasuke's sword was poised against his throat, playing as if he was about to cut off Naruto's head, but the sword fell to the floor. Instead, his hand went to cup the blonde's cheek, carefully stroking each and every darkened whisker until they were nothing more but thin lines on the boy's skin. Naruto's breath caught in his throat. And for a moment he thought he was going to black out from not breathing. But Sasuke was touching him! Actually touching him! He gulped back his apprehension, his fear, and with a shaky hand gripped onto Sasuke's arm.

"It's you..." Sasuke whispered. It was so silent, though, that Naruto had to really strain to hear it.

"It's me..." Naruto grinned cheekily. He hoped that this was a sign that Sasuke had regained his memories, though he couldn't be too sure. He searched for that light to shine in Sasuke's now black eyes, but it was still cloudy...

"Why do you look so familiar?" the raven asked quietly. "I've seen you before... I know it. It's so fuzzy..."

"C'mon, Teme. Think..."

Sasuke looked at him with widened eyes, and then it clicked. That scratchy voice, those abnormal but cute whiskers, those bright blue eyes that looked like sapphire jewels, a smile that could put the sun to shame, and that hair... Golden and spiked stretching for the sky.

He knew this boy.

His heart knew this boy. It screamed for him. _Wanted _him. He had to say his name before that cloud of forgetfulness tried to claim him once again. His mouth moved, lips parted, words struggling to come out.

Naruto gripped at the boy's arms, eyes wary though hopefully expectant. His heart was about to burst from his chest, and time was going by so slowly. Their lips were so close. Just one bump and they would be pressed together, locked tightly in a bond. A silent communication that Sasuke had remembered. He watched those sinfully delicious lips move, and words slowly floated through the air...

"Naruto... Uzumaki... You're Naruto Uzumaki!"

Words couldn't express how happy Naruto was that Sasuke had finally remembered. The happiness surged through his body, giving him new energy and strength. All thoughts on the pain of having someone you cared for walk out of your life and not even remember you were quickly replaced with the joy of them remembering you once more. Naruto wanted to skip, hop, jump, run, fly, hug the living hell out of Sasuke and more. But before he could act, a warm pair of lips met his own and his mind chose to stop working after that.

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><p>LOOK! LOOK AT THE FLUFFY ENDING I HAVE GIVEN YOU! If that's not a gift then I don't know what. This story is totally going off track from what I originially wanted... -shrugs-. Oh well. Shit happens. As long as I hit the major points I want, that's fine :D.<p>

Now I bid you farewell until two weeks next time! I do accept Anonymous and non-anonymous reviews ;D. Wink wink nudge nudge- Don't be afraid to share your opinons!


	12. Forgiveness

No guys, I didn't die on my vacation ;D I'M BACK! With chapter twelve! (: Sorry for the long wait, I had to finish summer assignments :L My teacher's are twisted sadists I tell you...

Anywho, special thanks to **Narutopokefan **for the quote **'Forgiveness is the virtua of the brave.' - Ghandi**. I do not own the quote, niether does Narutopokefan, but Ghandi... I give you props ;o.

**Warning: A more, darker chapter involving Sasuke again, but there's a sweet ending in store ;o. This chapter really took a mind of it's own... o.o And sorry if this fic is going a tad too slow, but I am realistic and I like to build things up to the heartwarming romance! So bear with me, please? :3**

**Disclaimer: I would be lying if I said I owned Naruto.**

Enjoy :D

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><p><strong>Chapter Twelve: Forgiveness<strong>

_"I heard a quote once t__ha__t went like this: 'Forgiveness is the virtue of the brave'. I don't think I'll ever find forgiveness. I'll never be redeemed for the sins I've done..." - Sasuke Uchiha, age 17._

They were kissing. Actually kissing. One pair of lips latched onto another pair of lips. Sasuke couldn't think straight. His mind was a pile of pink jell-o, and for now he liked it that way. He didn't want to think because one train of thought would lead to another train of thought of how wrong it was to openly kiss Naruto like this and then that would cause him to abruptly end the kiss. Sasuke didn't want to end it at all. If he could, he would have froze time on this very moment when he was finally reconnected with Naruto. No one else would matter but Naruto. He could slowly forget the past because all he needed to know and remember was the feel of the blonde's body underneath him and the soft caresses from his lips.

It was _soo_ wrong but boy did it feel so, freaking, right.

_'I missed this...'_ he thought, though this was only their second kiss. _'I missed him.'_ Sasuke couldn't believe he had allowed Orochimaru to gain such control on him. No one was allowed to tamper with his memories, especially dealing with the blonde. More memories assaulted him, a wave crashing against the pearly shores. Film strips fluttered by involving him and Naruto. Some were actual, life-changing events. Their meeting in the forest. The Ball where they danced the night away. The day they were brutally separated...

Separation can change a person. Most times it's not for the better. Sasuke had changed immensely. He noticed the changes, and he wasn't proud of any of them. He felt his humanity slipping away bit by bit. Naruto kept him grounded though. The boy was his anchor that kept the waves of Life from dragging him deeper into the sea of the damned. He realized he could never go back to what he was. Death had been his companion way too many times. Blood stained his hands more times than he could count. They were calloused from extensive sword use. So much so that his sword was now an extension of himself. He was no longer human. That much was sure. His humanity was ripped to shreds by Orochimaru. He was nothing more than a puppet used to kill.

There was no road of redemption for him...

When the lack of air became evident, Sasuke pulled back. His breath hitched in his throat as he caught the beautiful sight below him. Naruto's cheeks were an adorable red. Full lips were parted as the blonde desperately tried to catch his breath. Blue eyes were blanketed by lust and half-lidded. He was absolutely stunning...

No one else mattered right now but Naruto. It was always Naruto. No matter what. A shaky, almost timid, hand reached out to stroke Naruto's rosy cheek. Sasuke gulped audibly. The touch felt so... real. So... hot, almost burning. He immediately pulled the hand away. It burned too much... There was obvious signs of confusion and worry overtaking the clouds of passion in Naruto's eyes, and Sasuke couldn't bare to look. Not in this state. No one as defiled as he was deserved the honor of staring into such beautiful, blue eyes.

"Sasuke..." Naruto's voice was a mere whisper, but to Sasuke the noise had his soul shaking like an earthquake. "Come on... look at me." _'I can't...' _"Sasuke..."a hand reached out, attempting to touch the raven's face... but it was slapped away.

"Sasuke? What the hell—?"

"Don't touch me..." the words, they were like acid on Sasuke's tongue. It made his mouth throb and his heart clench unbearably. The look of hurt that flashed through Naruto's face was another slash through Sasuke's aching heart. He _had _to do this. Naruto _deserved _better. Sasuke couldn't allow his feelings and urges to get the better of him, not when he was so damned as he was now. Naruto was the light, and Sasuke... he was a fallen angel. The two did _not _go together. One was innocent, and one was tarnished in Sasuke's mind. He couldn't bare to bring Naruto into such a dark world he himself had fallen into long ago...

That's why he had to do everything in his power to push Naruto away. It was the only way he could think of to regain some redemption.

Sasuke forced the sounds of Naruto's pleas, the whispers of rumors generating around the room, the looks of scorn, disapproval, awe, and... pain away, and focused on the numbness that was slowly overtaking his body. The numbness would help. It would ease all his emotions that were screaming out for him to stop being so irrational. His mind was constantly berating him for the decision he was about to make.

_Don't push Naruto away! He's your anchor, isn't he? Keep him!_

_'I don't deserve him...'_

_It wasn't your fault! It was Orochimaru's!_

_'I'm still dirtied. I still _killed. _I can't be saved. And I can't drag him down with me...' _

With one last, desperate, look towards the blonde... Sasuke pulled away. Small gasps and murmurs circulated around the room, but Sasuke didn't pay any attention. He simply turned his back on them, Naruto, and proceeded towards the staircase. The crowd split like the Red Sea, allowing Sasuke easy pass. Each step up the staircase sounded like someone was banging a drum near his ear. It reverberated around his body, mind, and soul, so much so that Sasuke's legs were wobbling by the time he reached the final step. He felt beady, golden eyes staring right through him, but he bared through it as he made the hellishly long trip to his bedroom.

As he brushed passed Orochimaru, the man whispered:

"Good show."

Sasuke's veins felt heavy with ice afterward.

+Eclipse: Three Weeks of Torment Later+

Sasuke never once left his room unless absolutely necessary, and sometimes that was even a rarity. He refused to communicate with the outside world, not while he was so... fucked up, for a lack of better words. The raven had holed himself in his room until he was able to sort out who _exactly _he was. It was so... weird. He felt so empty at times, like a shell abandoned by a crab. Fury shook through his body from time to time, directed straight at Orochimaru. The man had played him _perfectly_. Sasuke had no idea how he'd managed to succumb to the man's will, but he had... and now... he was so dirty.

There would be times when memories Sasuke's mind had repressed seeped through his dreams, scarring him heavily. A man he killed only to test his abilities. The woman prostitute who had toyed with the wrong people. And the dying old man who wanted to be put out of his misery... All people Sasuke had slain with his own sword. Sometimes his eyes would trick him, making him believe he could see the dead walking or blood staining his hands so badly, Sasuke thought it was _real_. So real, that he had scurried off into the bathroom in a desperate attempt to wash his hands.

He was never satisfied until his hands were raw and itchy from continuous washing. Today was one of his good days. No nightmares. No flashbacks. No stabbing pains. No random bouts of insanity. He was simply... calm. No, that's not the word for it. Sasuke was just tired. Tired of his mentality being stretched like a rubber band only to snap back with painful reminiscences. He felt dead, in a good way (if that's even possible). His emotions didn't conflict anymore, too tired to put up a fight. For once Sasuke felt... eerily at peace.

So at peace, that he wasn't even aware of his door opening, or how close to his bed Itachi was until it was too late. The covers flew off his body, exposing his pathetic form towards the world. He gasped, instantly cowering into the bed for protection until he snapped himself out of such defense.

"Stop acting like a scared puppy and look at me, Sasuke." Itachi's voice was cold and demanding. Sasuke could find no traces of his older brother's usual playfulness or cockiness. It was one of those rare moments when Itachi meant business.

Sasuke, however, didn't _want _to deal with his brother, because he knew Itachi was going to force him outside that door, into the world he became so tainted in... He did _not _want to face that world again.

"I am _not _acting like a scared puppy. Now give me back my comforter, Itachi." Sasuke hissed, attempting to make a grab for his safety blanket when Itachi side-stepped to his right. Onyx eyes narrowed in anger at the figure before him who looked so... calm. Though Sasuke could sense that Itachi was trying to maintain his aura from going out of control as much as possible. "Not until you quit this 'fragile' act and set things straight with Naruto." Itachi replied calmly.

"You've been in this rut for three weeks, and I was willing to give you the time you needed even though you've never told me _why _you are off the deep end. But I've had enough! Do you know how much of your selfish behavior is affecting everyone? Especially Naruto who you had the damn nerve to kiss in front of all those people at your coming home party! If you think for one minute I will continue to let such foolishness go on, then you are sadly mistaken." Itachi's words were slap after slap against Sasuke's face. He knew his brother was right. He was acting like a child, foolish and selfish. Of course Naruto had come into his mind. The blonde was probably raging around like a bull about how he was coldly dismissed at the party. And he had every right to be. But you see, Sasuke did it for Naruto's sake! He couldn't tarnish such an innocent soul!

"Are you listening, Sasuke? Don't block me out. You need to hear this."

That same, irritable, calmness...

"I don't need you to tell me what to do." more like he didn't need to be told what he already knew.

"Really?" Itachi asked, fake concern laced in his words. "What a shame. Well _I _don't like it when _my _younger brother is hiding in his room like a coward!"

"You don't understand a damn thing!" Sasuke finally shot back, red slowly bleeding into his fiery onyx eyes. His fists were clenched at his sides, and he had lept off the bed ready to attack his brother if needed. Itachi looked a little peeved and sighed in exasperation before he allowed his tough facade to crumble away...

"That's because you're not letting me understand. We're brothers, yet we act like total strangers now. Obviously something must have happened on your journey that affected you so much... and all I want to do is help. But how am I supposed to do that if you shut me out?" Sasuke felt his irrational anger slowly slip away at the helplessness that slipped through the cracks in his brother's words. Realizing how unfair he was acting was a little... unnerving to say the least. He thought locking himself up until he was able to sort through things would be the best alternative for anyone. For Naruto, because innocence should never to be tarnished. For Itachi, who he was too ashamed on how ashamed and broken to speak to him face-to-face. Too ashamed to mingle with the rest of his family...

He was hiding from Orochimaru, too. Those beady, golden, eyes that never left his form for a second. Before, Sasuke realized he had admired the man, so much so he called him 'Master'. But now... he felt nothing but cold contempt towards him...

"I'm sorry..." the raven hung his head low, his voice barely a whisper. Itachi sighed once more, though out of relief that he had finally gotten through to his brother. A tired smile found its way onto his lips, and without much warning, he pulled his brother into a much needed hug. Sasuke visibly cringed, ready to push his brother away from the contact. Didn't he see how dirty he was? How could he so easily touch him? _'He doesn't even know...' _Sasuke reminded himself. And then it hit him. Itachi didn't know about what he had been through. _Naruto _didn't know what he had been through... and he had put himself through such hellish weeks to protect the two people closest to them and they didn't even know _why_. From an outsider's perspective, Sasuke assumed he must have looked psychotic, even brain damaged. But, from the inside of his bubble, he felt like this was the right thing to do...

Slowly, the dominoes began to fall one by one as Sasuke collapsed into a wail as he gripped onto his brother for all he was worth. He still felt dirtied, that feeling would take a long time to simply heal and move on from. He was finally realizing that what he had been doing for the past three weeks was cowardly and weak, something an Uchiha _never _was, and mentally berated himself for acting as such. However, he still felt that he was no longer worthy of forgiveness...

The two raven princes stood there, clinging onto each other like some horrible force was going to drive them apart again. Wails were the only sounds being made, and all Itachi could do was hug his brother and tell him everything would be alright – that, and if he got any more tear stains his new shirt would be ruined. The comment earned a weak muffle, probably a snort, from Sasuke.

Then, the peace was ruined.

"Itachi, you bastard! I told you to _talk _to him! Not fucking—Oh..." Naruto's rage instantly evaporated at the sight of Sasuke and Itachi... hugging. Itachi threw a look of mock disappointment towards the blonde prince,

"I'm offended you would think _I'm _the cause of my brother's tears." Naruto scoffed and folded his arms across his chest.

"You can't blame me for overreacting! I mean, you're hardly tact when it comes to dealing with other people and their emotions." he heard something about 'annoying brat' and shrugged it off because... well... Sasuke was giving him quite the look.

_'It's him.' _That was the only _logical _thought going on in Sasuke's mind, at the moment. The other thoughts were borderline insane, like attempting to jump out of his window for example. Sure, the boy was about as limber as a cat, but that wouldn't help him from jumping out of a four-story window. Other thoughts were how fast he could go for the blanket before Itachi swiped it away again. And then... the last, more profound, thoughts were on how beautiful Naruto looked in the dim lighting...

Sasuke was frozen to the spot as onyx clashed with blue. Now that he was a little more stable, he could get a good sense of Naruto's aura. It was... wavering, between fury and sympathy, and then something _more _Sasuke couldn't describe. He wanted to say so many things. Do so many things. But his body and mouth refused to move to his orders.

_'What should I do...?' _All these weeks of self-isolation never prepared him for the abrupt visit from Naruto. Hell, if he was feeling somewhat normal he would have been able to sense the aura from the minute the blonde stepped foot on Luna Empire soil, because it was so distinct and well... Sasuke was always attracted to Naruto's aura anyways. But now, that the blonde was standing at him in the flesh, he couldn't _do _anything. Nothing like what happened at his coming home party.

"Are you two just going to stand there like statues?" Itachi asked dryly, looking back and forth between his idiot brother and his idiotic friend. With a sigh, Itachi pinched the bridge of his nose and decided he had to help these two along or they wouldn't get anywhere—literally. "Alright. How about this: If I leave you two alone for five minutes, will you be able to sort things out _without _using violence?"

"I make no promises," Naruto replied in a way that had Sasuke taking an involuntary back towards his bed. Itachi nodded with a small smirk on his face as he made his way for the door.

"Good," he patted the blonde's shoulder, "I like an honest man." and then walked out to leave the two princes alone.

The first sign of movement came from Naruto, when he walked up to punch Sasuke square in the jaw.

"That," Naruto said calmly, "was for leaving me like that at the ball."

Sasuke didn't recognize the burning sensation on his cheek from the punch, but he instead reacted to the words Naruto had thrown at him like daggers. They were too calm... that obviously anger was hidden beneath his words. He wanted to snap back, do _something _but all he could do was glare. Besides, Naruto wasn't finished yet. Sasuke was all ready to retaliate if Naruto decided to punch him again, but instead the blonde did the exact _opposite _of what he had expected. Naruto hugged him.

"And this..." Naruto whispered into the raven's neck, "is the welcome hug back you never got. Welcome back, Sasuke."

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><p>When I first uploaded this chapter, it was one big blob of text and I was all like "Damn it... I'll have to go through all that..."<p>

Well anyways, show me some love with reviews! ;) Love makes the world go round people!

Till next time :]


	13. Together

**To my Anonymous Reviewer Macy: **Thank you very much for your review! Yeah, the review count is low... but I will not stop writing this story because of it. Even if I get one, two, or three reviews a chapter I'll keep going. Sure, I'd like a little more but at least some people do take the time to drop a review :].

**To everyone else!: **Thank you to everyone else who has reviewed & added this to their favs and their alerts :D. I have a Naruto collection that I will be releasing soon (maybe this week) that will consist of freestanding one shots and one shots for the Akatsuki Cosplay Cafe Universe if you've read that. It shall be named **The Cosplay Conspiracy**! So if you have any requests for a one shot or a plot, I'll be happy to write it!** I'll write for a pairing of your choice in the ACC universe**. And if you want a **freestanding** one, I'll write for the following pairings: **SasuNaru, ItaixHidan, SasorixDeidara, GaaRu, etc. **Those are just examples :]. And they've got to be Yaoi! Sorry, I'm too addicted to yaoi... ;) So send in those requests!

Now on to the warning and disclaimer!

**Warning: Quite short again, but next chapter shall be longer I hope! SasuNaru, somewhat NaruSasu, goodness of the fluffy variety! That's all I have to say o.e**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, I would be the happiest girl in the world. And pigs will finally be able to fly! And cats and dogs will actually rain out of the sky! (Ha! I rhymed 8D).**

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen: Together<strong>

"_I don't really understand what happened. But Sasuke's my best friend, and I'll always be there for him. Because I... I... Um... Like him?" - Naruto Uzumaki, 16._

Awkward silence; something that always seems to follow a very intimate, or passionate, rant, conversation, or confession. For Sasuke and Naruto, the awkward silence followed them right after Naruto's welcome back hug, and all the way to little sanctuary build outside of Sasuke's castle where the two decided to go for a change of scenery and fresh air. The sanctuary was originally built for the royal family to enjoy together, or separately as a little getaway of sorts. Trees towered high into the sky, shielding the area off from anyone who didn't know exactly what to look for. Nightwood they were called, and they formed an arc around the sanctuary, though to access it you needed to take a secret tunnel located behind the closet in the royal family's rooms.

There was a small waterfall that seemed to start from thin air that fell into a small lake adorned with water lilies where a few Koi swam around. A stone pathway leaded you into the middle of the sanctuary were a humongous fountain stood proudly. From the middle, four different pathways that lead off to four different areas diverged depending on what your mood was and where you wanted to go. If you wanted peace and quiet, you took the path leading north. If you wanted a good view of the Empire, you went west. If you wanted a break from the Empire, and instead wanted to see nature at it's best, you went east. And if you simply just wanted to get away, you went south.

Sasuke was the one to lead them to the sanctuary, breaking every rule his parents had instilled on him and generations before to _never _reveal the location of their sacred place. The sanctuary was said to be guarded by spirits loyal to the Uchiha Family, and would immediately attack and kill anyone outside the family. Sasuke didn't believe in such a thing, and at the moment he wasn't in the best mental state to worry over it, so he had lead Naruto to the sanctuary anyways.

Besides, he had always wanted to show Naruto this place. It was too beautiful to keep only for Uchiha eyes to see. The raven lead the blonde over to rocky platform that was smoothed out at the top so people could sit on top of it. First Sasuke climbed up, then he helped Naruto up. The two sat together. Hands clasped. Their knees brushed together and their hips were touching. Naruto was more or less nervous. The scene before him was rather breathtaking, and he was wondering why Sasuke had taken him _here _of all places. But then he vaguely remembered Sasuke telling him a few years ago that he had a secret place he went to whenever he felt like being by himself, so Naruto figured this was the place.

Silence fell between the two. Naruto's mind was too clouded with different emotions trying to break through. Firstly he was happy Sasuke decided to stop being a hermit crab long enough to talk to him. That, and the fact that they were _still _holding hands, which made Naruto extremely happy for some reason. Then, he felt pissed off – extremely pissed off. Because not only was he left in the dark, but he was ignored for _years _and Sasuke _still _wasn't explaining. Alright, so he really didn't have the right to push, nor did Sasuke have to tell him anything, but did the title best friends mean nothing? Was it just some sticker Naruto had flaunted around for most of his childhood that you could easily rip off and tear to shreds? He really hoped not but seriously... Naruto treasured their friendship. He told Sasuke pretty much everything, so couldn't the raven do the same?

_'Sometimes I feel like he's hiding things from me...' _Naruto frowned slightly, turning his gaze to the raven that had refused to look at him ever since they sat on top of the rock. Sasuke's gaze was to the floor, watching the wind whistle through the grass. Naruto frowned deepened. He didn't like this Sasuke one bit. Where the hell was the sassy remarks? The scathing insults that always had a depth of humor hidden underneath? Where was that cocky but adorable smile Sasuke wore around like his favorite shirt? There was nothing of the old Sasuke he knew. Just some empty shell that was always sulking. His Sasuke never sulked like this. He was always moderately happy. Not like Naruto, who bounced around the walls everyday, but he smiled, he was somewhat cheerful to be around. He was never like this.

_'Orochimaru must have fucked him up big time...' _It was the only thing that made sense to the blonde. _'He goes with him for three years and he comes back like this...' _he felt pure anger boil through his veins, so much that his normally bright blue eyes bled red for a few seconds until he forced himself to calm down. Orochimaru was the reason for their slight falling, Naruto was sure of it. Just as he was sure that Orochimaru was the sole cause for the way Sasuke was behaving. Like he was broken, or something.

Naruto gripped onto Sasuke's hand, causing the raven to look up at him. Blue and onyx clashed for a split second, before Sasuke returned his gaze to the ground, but this time Naruto stopped him. Cupping the raven's cheek, the blonde forced Sasuke to look at him. He could feel Sasuke trying to resist him, but Naruto was a persistent guy, and the raven finally gave in. When their eyes met again, Naruto found himself chewing on his cheek trying to hold back the pity that was flowing through him. Sasuke's eyes looked so... heartbreakingly dead.

"Sasuke..." the words flew out of his mouth like a whisper, and Naruto didn't miss how the raven flinched at how gently the words were spoken. Like he deserved to be _yelled _at rather than be treated so tenderly. "How long are you going to sulk like this?"

He noticed how Sasuke's breath hitched as his mouth opened, probably trying to form some sort of sentence or retort, but he snapped it shut and tried to turn his head again. Naruto frowned even deeper than before. _'Well, this is going to be harder than he thought.' _but he wouldn't stop. That's for sure. He'd keep pushing and pushing, starting off gently until more force needed to be used. He wanted his Sasuke back. And watching this broken version of his best friend, of the boy he... had strange feelings for, was ripping at his heart strings.

Naruto laughed nervously, trying to lighten up the situation and Sasuke's mood. "What? No, 'Shut up, Dobe.' or 'You're such a dumbass?'?" he poked Sasuke's cheek, earning a lame grunt in return. Naruto pouted and poked him again. "Come on! Where's the insults? At least throw something to knock down my ego?"

Then, Sasuke looked up at him, and his expression was the last thing to crush Naruto's heart. Those onyx eyes held such misery and pain and confusion, as if wondering why Naruto would want such a thing. That was the last straw for Naruto, and he pulled Sasuke into a bone-crushing hug, holding the frail raven in his arms as tightly as he dared.

"Tell me everything." were the first words to escape his lips after the moments of silence passed.

Sasuke shook his head, wriggling to get out of the blonde's grip but boy, Naruto had one hell of a grip.

"C-Can't..." he whispered, desperately trying to run away.

Naruto pulled him back at arm's length, raising one hand so that it stroked the raven's cheeks. He inwardly sighed in relief when the raven leaned into his touch. He stroked his cheek some more, resting his head against the raven's and looking him dead in the eye. He forced as much emotion as he could into his eyes, hoping they would project the words he couldn't voice. Naruto felt Sasuke relax at his touch, at his soft words of encouragement, at how soft, reassuring, and overall comforting Naruto's eyes spoke to him.

They were torn apart once by Fate's cruel hand, but Naruto swore he wouldn't lose Sasuke again. Not like last time, never again. Not if he had any say in it, and he would – a whole mouthful. They would stay together this time, long enough for Sasuke to get better. Long enough for Naruto to understand the fluttering in his chest that happened every time Sasuke as much looked in his direction.

Finally, Sasuke opened his mouth and spoke the dreaded words he never wanted Naruto hear.

"I... I've killed..."

+Eclipse+

Naruto had listened intently to Sasuke's story as they sat across from each other so Sasuke wouldn't avert his gaze. Naruto wanted it that way, because he knew what Sasuke was going to say wasn't going to be some romantic fairytale and Naruto wanted Sasuke to be able to look him in the eye the _whole _time. No adverting his gaze, but full on eye contact. He knew it would be a lot to ask out of the raven in his state now but... he needed to push Sasuke if he was ever going to get anywhere.

The whole time Sasuke told his story, no matter how many cracks appeared in his words, no matter how many times Sasuke had to pause because the memories were too brutal to bare, and no matter how much Naruto could see that Sasuke wanted to stop, Naruto held onto his hands. He would squeeze them periodically, give them gentle strokes, and sometimes even kiss each and every knuckle till he felt the raven calm down. This worked from beginning to end, and when it was all over, Naruto was left to absorb everything and try _very _hard not to find Orochimaru and let Kyuubi go kamikaze on him.

_'That bastard!' _he spat inwardly. _'How could he do that to Sasuke? _Sasuke? _Of all people! That sick, twisted son of a bitch!' _Naruto was so _furious_. He felt his claws sharpening and his canines growing, the Kyuubi trying to take over with the fuels of anger coursing through him. His grip on Sasuke's hands tightened, his claws digging deep into the raven's flesh until Sasuke yelped, bringing Naruto's focus back.

"Ah... Uh... S-Sorry..." Naruto grinned sheepishly. Sasuke glared at the blonde, then down at his hand, then towards the blonde's retracting claws with an eyebrow raised.

"That's new."

Naruto shrugged and brought Sasuke's hands up his lips, carefully licking the blood away. He didn't even notice how strange it must have looked to do that, especially to Sasuke. But Naruto had learned recently that if he had a small enough cut he could just lick it and the wound would disappear. He figured it was one of Kyuubi's powers, so he thought the same might apply if he licked Sasuke's wound. Well, his theory proved to be correct because Sasuke's cuts closed up instantly.

"Y-You... My hands... they were so... and you..." Sasuke shook his head frantically, trying to piece together his jumbled thoughts. The raven had told Naruto about how dirtied he thought his hands were, stained by blood, but with Naruto he holding them he thought, _'They must be clean.' _but to have the blonde _lick _them? Well... that was a whole other issue.

"Sasuke, calm down!" Naruto gripped the raven by the shoulders and shook him. That seemed to get the raven to calm down because he slapped Naruto's hands away almost instinctively – a very Sasuke-like thing to do in Naruto's mind. The blonde grinned lazily and gripped onto Sasuke's hands once more. "Hey... you're acting like a bastard again."

Sasuke scoffed, but there was a small hint of a smirk dancing on his lips. "I never stopped."

Naruto chuckled, slowly shaking his head but glad to see some of Sasuke's spunk back. He sighed in relief and rested his head on the raven's shoulder. To his surprise, Sasuke wrapped his arms around the small of his back and just... held him. The two stayed like that for awhile, happy to finally be together again. Naruto silently realized that he never gave any feedback on Sasuke's story. Yes, it was very gruesome. And sure, his anger spoke louder than any words of comfort to give. But he figured that... the fact that he _stayed _when he could have just got up and walked away was enough to ease Sasuke's wounded spirit. And right now, he was enjoying being in the arms of his favorite raven.

"This place is beautiful." the blonde whispered.

Sasuke nodded, taking the time to inhale Naruto's scent, something that made Naruto giggle softly. _'Good thing I always smell good.' _

"I'm so screwed bringing you here but I really don't care. As long as you're here with me... I feel... _human _again. Like I can face anything that comes my way."

Naruto nodded softly and hugged Sasuke back. "I feel the same way."

And just when the blonde thought everything was perfect, that everything was going to get _better_, Fate had to come around and show them who was boss.

There were two pairs of eyes watching them. One belonging to a force of pure evil. And the other belonging to a force that couldn't allow such a union between two forces. Now, one force knew of the other's forces presence, but Naruto and Sasuke were completely unaware of the two, very powerful, beings in their wake.

"**What is your business here?" **the voice was animalistic, resounding loudly in the other being's head.

"_I could be asking you the same question, Guardian." _this voice was more like a snake, and his eyes were a glimmering gold that stood out from the shadows.

"**The balance is tipping." **was the Guardian's reply. There was a snarl at the end of his words when he saw that the figure took one step closer. **"You shall not interfere."**

"_I do not think you are in any position to tell me what I can and can not do, beast."_

"**I will rip out your liver and feast on it if you step over the boundary."**

"_Is that a threat or a promise?" _when all he got was a snarl and more gruesome threats, the golden eyes decided it was time to step away and let the Guardian take control. The golden eyes lingered on the frame of _his _raven a little longer before slinking back into the darkness. He was a little irked to see _his _raven's in the arm of that Jinchuuriki, but his plan was already starting to formulate before him, and soon the raven would be back where he belonged.

By his side.

The Guardian watched as the evil force slithered away, and the growl didn't disappear until the beast was certain the force had disappeared for good. Once he felt more at ease, he turned his eyes back to the embracing princes. The scale was starting to tip towards the side of evil, and his mission was to find the source of the imbalance and stop it. His first thoughts were that the Jinchuuriki Prince had something to do with it but now... with the appearance of that unexpected force... the Guardian was staring to think differently.

His eyes fell on the prince's one more time before he turned on his heel and walked away. He would continue to watch them silently for a few more days and see if any of their actions tipped the scale. If they did, he would not hesitate to kill the Jinchuuriki Prince and restore balance.

Still unaware of anything but their significant other, the two princes did nothing but hold each other.

Naruto snuggled deeper into Sasuke's chest, and inhaled deeply before letting out a deep sigh of contentment. "I'm so glad we're together again, Sasuke. I have so much to tell you. So much to say... No one's ever going to tear us apart again..."

Sasuke nodded, eyes closed as he focused on no one else's aura but Naruto's. "I'm glad too. No one's taking me away from you again. Absolutely no one."

If only that were true...

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><p>Figured out who our little intruders are? ;) Hmm, and I wonder what union the Guardian doesn't wish to allow. Sasuke and Naruto's or someone else's? 8D.<p>

If you review, I'll give you love and plushies 8D Also if you have a oneshot request, leave it in a review or PM me! I'll take anything on so lay it on me! XDD. That sounded sort of pervy... coughs- o.o

Anywho, till next time :].


	14. Changes

Thank you one and all for your reviews, adding this to your alerts and putting this fic onto your favorites :3! I love you alll. And hopefully I replied to you guys too ;o. Like most times, this chapter took on a mind of its own. And I simply let whatever the hell happened... happened, because I totally derailed from my original plot line (: but it's not like that's the FIRST time that ever happened 8D. I kind of like how this ended... and I think you all will too ;D.

Because afterall, things will get drama/angsty after this. Mwahahahahah! :3

**Warning: I kill you with fluff? Why yes, yes I do kill you with fluff. Does that make me a murderer?**

**Disclaimer: Welll, I can dream I own Naruto, right? That won't get me arrested, will it?**

Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter Fourteen: Changes<strong>

"_Now that I've finally come out of my slump, I've realized something. Things have changed. No, things _are _changing. Whether they're for the better or for worse... I don't know. But the funny feeling in the pit of my stomach is telling me to be careful..." – Sasuke Uchiha, age 18. _

It had been two weeks after their reconnecting in the sanctuary. In those two weeks, Sasuke has been either dragged to irritating council meetings that left him rather angry in the end, forced to sit at an annoying family dinner that left him pissed, or having Itachi berate him on many things, like his stupidity for leaving Naruto alone, for his ignorance in general when it came to his own damned feelings, only to bring his younger brother into his hug and whisper silly nothings in his ear. Sometimes they would be warnings about the rebellion growing stronger and stronger. And sometimes they would just be random strings of words showing how happy he was to finally have his brother back.

Little did Sasuke know, that was the first ounce of emotion Itachi released ever since Sasuke returned.

Now that Sasuke was finally paying attention to things—he was sitting on the windowsill, mindlessly watching the activity go along in the castle and outside—he saw how things were different from what they were after he left. The streets that used to be crowded with so many people were almost naked, bare of any human interaction. Lights that used to illuminate the city was dimmed to only firefly flickers, the brightest sources coming from important political buildings, the castle, and businesses. Sasuke felt something cold grip on his gut and twist it in a sickening way. Something was definitely _off_. His aura was flaring out of control and his blood was pumping louder and quicker through his veins.

Luna Empire looked so... dead.

_'Could it be the rebellion that's the cause of this?' _He remembered at one of the council meetings he was dragged to that they had the rebels under control. Sasuke mentally scoffed at the council's spineless and two-faced attitudes. Oh yes, they _definitely _had things under control if the Empire's own citizens were too afraid to walk the streets during the _day_. The raven shook his head and turned his attention back to the castle; his home. This place had suffered more changes then the Empire itself. Sure, the Uchiha clan weren't known for their bubbly personality and infectious spirit, but at least it was somewhat lively. People actually smiled. And the Uchihas could be called decent people. But now... It was like what little life the castle had was sapped away till everything was bone dry.

Sasuke noticed how his mother was always on edge. Not in a snappy sort of way, but more like always jittery. Her eyes never focused on one thing for too long. And she would always freak out over shadowy corners as if something was going to jump out and attack her. His father was always snapping at anyone that even looked at him. It was like his emotions were ticking time bombs just waiting to explode. And Itachi... well, his cold demeanor seemed to have slipped, though the man was more of a recluse than ever.

Living in this household, Sasuke was stunned by how he hadn't turned completely mad yet. Then he snorted, thinking, _'I've already gone mad. I'm just no longer affected.' _And that saddened him a little. He had already come to terms that his three year journey with Orochimaru _had _changed him, and possibly altered his personality a little. The old Sasuke would have screamed, bawled his eyes out, and go to the very root of the cause of such a drastic change. But not this Sasuke. This Sasuke would only quietly watch from outside the fishbowl, carefully studying every little change until a solution came to him. Or rather, until he _cared _enough to find a solution.

He wasn't stupid. He knew that the rebellion was growing stronger and stronger by the day. Sasuke hadn't just sit through those council meetings for nothing. Though, half the time he wanted to rip out one of the chairman's vocal chords because they had brought up... sticky topics.

"Prince Sasuke. Eight years ago you were sent on a mission to survey the Jinchuuriki Prince. You _do _realize _why _we sent you, correct?"

Sasuke didn't even bother to voice an answer; his glare spoke volumes.

The elderly chairman, Danzou, cleared his throat and continued. "Right. In these past years you have done exceptionally well in gaining favor with the Jinchuuriki Prince."

_'Don't call him that!' _his mind raged. He hated how people treated Naruto like he was a _beast _rather than a human being! The boy had feelings! He had a heart! He was always the one Sasuke confided in. Always the one the raven prince went for comfort, support! The one he had always... Sasuke worried his bottom lip and clenched his fists so tightly, his nails scraped against his palm and blood started to trickle down his hand.

"I must agree," another chairman, Zetsu, replied. "Eight years and the Jinchuuriki still has no idea that your relationship was spun by a thread of deceit..." Zetsu was a man that used his words like weapons no matter who, or how old, you were. He said whatever was on his mind, but there was always _some _innuendo behind his words. Whether they were to cut you down, build you up, or simply stab you, you'd never know.

"Are you trying to get at something?" Sasuke directed his glare towards the man with half his face painted black, and the other face painted white.

Zetsu shrugged carelessly and let out a sigh of indifference. "I'm just amazed, really. I do hope that all these years together hasn't turned you... _soft_."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your mission was split into two parts: Gain information about the Jinchuuriki and get close to him. Then part two: Kill him."

Sasuke's whole body turned rigid as the words sunk in. _Kill him. Kill him. Kill him. _Sasuke couldn't do that... No, he didn't _want _to do that. He wanted to be together with Naruto! Till they were old, gray, and dying! Maybe before they had come so close, killing him wouldn't have struck such a deep nerve. Sure, he would have been young, but he would have pushed that all aside for his clan. But now, now he knew what Death was like. He knew it so well it still haunted him in his nightmares. Sasuke always feared the day when Naruto would learn about his true intentions for their friendship. The nightmares would always taunt him and make him feel like the lowest piece of scum on the planet. The raven knew that, if the dreaded day would come, then he would _truly _become broken.

There were so many changes going on in his life, now that he finally paid attention to it. He had changed as a person. From a spoiled brat of a prince to... a more mature prince that only wanted to protect one, sole, person. That particular change Sasuke was rather content with. But these new changes that were going on around him... _they _were not okay.

Sighing, Sasuke ran a hand through his hair and decided that sitting around in the castle wouldn't get much things done. Naruto was coming over to celebrate his birthday that was a couple of days ago. Due to uncertain circumstances, Naruto couldn't make it on the actual day. On the inside, Sasuke was heartbroken that his best friend—and hopefully more—couldn't attend the event. But Naruto had spammed his Holo-Pad with messages saying how he'd make it up to him.

With each message Sasuke read, the smile on his face grew wider.

"You have that stupid look on your face again, Otouto." Itachi leaned against near where Sasuke was sitting, a small smirk on his face. Sasuke turned to look at his brother, and found himself studying his older brother. The air of indifference and cockiness that used to surround Itachi like a blanket was no dimmed down to a barely noticeable level. If you didn't know the raven prince as well as Sasuke did, you would have thought that the man seemed to be the perfect companion for engaging in hearty conversation. There were bags under his brother's eyes. And his normally onyx eyes had lost their piercing gaze.

"And you, Aniki, look like you've just been through Hell and back." Sasuke retorted, watching how his brother instantly tensed at such words. _'Just what the hell happened while I was away...?' _

Itachi released a shaky sigh and ran a tired hand through his hair. His black bangs fell against his face and hid most of his eyes, but Sasuke didn't need to look at them to sense the emotion his brother was portraying. The man was _stressed_.

"You wouldn't be wrong in saying that..."

"I always hated when you beat around the bush like that." Sasuke folded his arms across his chest and glared at his brother. "I want to know what has happened to this place and _now_."

"Is Naruto coming over today?" Itachi asked casually.

"Don't evade me." Sasuke literally snarled. "I have every damn right to know what's going on in my empire!"

"He is, isn't he?"

"I said stop evading!"

"I am not evading, little brother. I'm simply asking a question."

"Questions that avoid the topic!"

"Because the topic doesn't need to be addressed." Itachi stated calmly, twirling the end of his ponytail around his index finger. "I... do not want you to sink further into the darkness..." his voice came out as a whisper, and Sasuke almost felt his anger dissipate.

Sasuke worried his bottom lip once more, digging his nails deeper into the skin on his upper bicep. Darkness... What the hell could his brother mean by that? And sinking in deeper...? Sasuke shook his head wildly. There was no way he'd go back to that point of his life again! He had Naruto again; his light in the murky shadows that used to surround him. As long as he had Naruto, nothing would change...

"This... has something to do with the rebels, doesn't it?" Sasuke raised his gaze to meet his brother's, but Itachi refused to look at him.

"I think you should get ready for Naruto..." his brother whispered softly before smirking a little. He bent down and lightly flicked his brother on the forehead. "Those clothes will just not cut it..." with that said, Itachi leaned back, turned on his heels, and started to head for the staircase.

Sasuke sat there dumbfounded for a few minutes, before frowning deeply and chucking a pillow towards his retreating brother. "You never answered my question, damn it! Come back here and fucking tell me!"

Itachi stopped in his tracks and released another heavy sigh. His brother truly had no control over that temper of his. He turned his head around, and threw an almost bored glance towards his brother.

"I really don't feel like answering something you already know." after that, Itachi disappeared up the staircase, leaving a fuming yet stupefied Sasuke in his wake.

+Eclipse: I Need You+

"Happy Birthday, Sasuke!"

"Dobe, you're a little late..." Sasuke smirked as he watched the pout manifest on Naruto's luscious-looking lips. _'Luscious? When did I turn into such a poetic perv...?'_

"I told you I was sorry about a bazillion times, Teme!" Naruto threw his arms in the air out of exasperation. Seriously, it was like Sasuke _enjoyed _making the blonde spazz out!

"One more time never really hurts." Sasuke and Naruto were sitting in the raven's room, Naruto sprawled out across the bed, and Sasuke sitting against the mattress. Naruto's hands were idly playing with Sasuke's soft, onyx, tresses. Twirling some around his fingers, then running through them in a massaging manner. On more than one occasion Sasuke had to resist the urge to moan out loud, but damn it Naruto's hands felt so good against his scalp...

"You're such a bastard..." Naruto muttered, inching closer to the bed so he could lean forward and see more of Sasuke. "You better like the present I bought you! There is no way in hell I'm going back to return it because of your prissy ways!"

Sasuke chuckled and caught the hand that was running through his hair, bringing it to his lips for a gentle kiss. "No worries, Dobe. I would never return something from you." he inwardly grinned watching his blonde blush a very deep shade of red. That's what got him thinking: Since when had he started referring to Naruto as his? He figured from probably a long time ago, ever since he first got the assignment that webbed their lives together. Naruto was _his _assignment. _His _target. Now he was _his _best friend, and something... more?

_'We never really established what we are...' _Sasuke thought as he stroked Naruto's knuckles one by one. And Sasuke was never the type of person to ask something like that upfront. He was actually surprised that Naruto didn't come up and ask him first. _'Well, relationships were a foreign aspect to him until a few years ago...' _But seriously, Naruto should know how to distinguish between friendship and something more, right? Right?

Somehow Sasuke was finding that very hard to believe...

Someway or another, Naruto had pulled Sasuke onto the bed with him, so now the two were laying side by side. Their fingers interlocked and their legs tangled up together. Naruto had moved slightly so that he was on his side, his head resting comfortably on Sasuke's chest. The raven's heartbeat was steady, melodic, and soothing to the blonde's ears. Sasuke unconsciously wrapped his arms around the blonde's waist, hands lazily rubbing small circles on the blonde's back. When had things changed so much that Sasuke felt so comfortable with Naruto by his side like this? No one, not even his brother, made him feel this... satisfied. He felt at ease when he was with Naruto. He felt like he could take on the whole damn world, and then some, as long as he knew Naruto wasright beside him.

Small arms wound around Sasuke's back, and the body they belonged to pulled himself closer until he was fit perfectly against Sasuke's chest. Sasuke just tightened his grip and rested his chin on top of that golden mop of hair that always seemed to be stretching for the sun...

"Ne, Sasuke...?"

"Hm?"

"Happy birthday."

Sasuke cracked a smile. "You've already said that."

"I know... but I felt like saying it again."

"You're so weird."

"Shut up. You're ruining the moment."

Sasuke's smile grew wider. He could practically _hear _the blush crackling alive on Naruto's skin. "There was a moment?"

"Why are you such a bastard?"

"I thought that's what you loved the most about me?"

Silence followed his words shortly afterwords like a kitten that had become attached to you. Sasuke instantly regretting using that word: Love. That word was so completely foreign to him until now. He knew he felt something for Naruto, but he always put it off as an intense like. The sort of like that drove you to do everything in your power to make the person of your affection smile. The sort of like that seemed to give you the strength of an entire army just so you could protect one person. Now, though, Sasuke had found that he was rather familiarized with the word Love. Because really... wasn't that the feeling he was experiencing for so long now.

Finally, Naruto's soft words fluttered into the air.

"Y-Yeah... I think so..."

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow and pushed Naruto back enough so he could get a good glimpse of his face. "What was that?"

"I-I said I think so!" Naruto stuttered, though Sasuke looked just as confused as before.

"What do you mean by that?" Sasuke knew he was asking a lot of questions. And yes, he was even aware that he probably looked like a deer in headlights right about now. But his heart _demanded _to know what Naruto was carrying on about!

"You know what I mean, Teme!"

"I don't think I do if I asked, Dobe." Sasuke sighed when all he got was a small, but still adorable, pout to appear. He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on the bridge of Naruto's nose. "Tell me?" he whispered against the blushing skin.

He could feel Naruto's aura inflame profoundly, and if it was any indication that Naruto was nervous, the blonde's heartbeat was pounding obnoxiously loud against his ribcage.

"I think... that I love you. Maybe... I don't know."

Sasuke ignored every other word in that sentence other than these three: _I love you_. Naruto had said it, though there was hesitation and confusion laced in those words, but they were said! And Sasuke felt his heart soar just a little bit higher. Allowing a smile he had no intention of fighting off, Sasuke pressed another kiss to Naruto's forehead.

"You don't know?" there was obvious amusement stringed with his words.

Naruto's blush increased profoundly. "Well! It's not like I've ever been in love before so I could tell you!"

"Then tell me what you're feeling instead." Sasuke _refused _to let the subject drop. He would get Naruto to fully confirm his feelings. And then he would smash his lips against his soon-to-be blonde. After that, well, Sasuke decided he'd let nature take it's course then.

"I told you I can't!" Naruto whined and struggled against the raven's grip, but Sasuke wouldn't budge.

"I know I love you." Sasuke stated simply, and watched as the blonde became limp in his arms.

"W-What?" the blonde was completely dumbfounded, and every ounce of shock was shown in those bright, blue orbs.

"Listen closely, Dobe, because I'm only saying this once." he said in a warning tone, but the blonde softly scoffed it off. "I think I really began to love you after the first Eclipse Treaty Ball. You were so... _beautiful_. And your personality was so contagious. When we were dancing, I found myself wanting to know more about you. What made you tick. What things made you smile. If _I _could make you smile. Before I knew it, you had monopolized my heart and mind just by smiling at me..." no matter how much Sasuke's pride screamed at him to stop. No matter how crazy his mind was going from the sudden confession. And no matter how much Sasuke's heart threatened to explode, the raven continued. "I want to protect you with my very being. I never want to be separated from you again. Those three years we were apart... they were utterly Hell for me. I never want to suffer that again. So I ask..." the raven lifted his hand and rubbed his thumb against the three whiskers on Naruto's right cheek. "Can I stay by your side forever?"

The blonde was silent for a few minutes, trying to find a way to voice his words without breaking out into some girly scream. He worried his bottom lip numerous times, finding it hard to make direct eye contact with the raven without passing out from his heart giving out from the accelerating emotions running haywire.

"Fuck..." Naruto muttered and buried his face deeper into the raven's chest. "Why do you have to go and say things like that...?"

Sasuke chuckled, rubbing small circles on the blonde's back once more. "I was simply being honest."

"Well stop it. I don't think my heart can take much more of your honesty."

"That would be a way to go. Heart failure over the truth."

"Shut up!" Naruto pulled back so he could give Sasuke a heated glare. "You're enjoying this way too much!"

Sasuke smirked. "You can tell?"

"Damn it... I hate you!"

"No you don't. You just told me you loved me."

"I said I _think _I love you. There's a difference!"

"You know, I'm waiting for you to tell me what you're feeling."

"And I told you, Teme, that I can't!"

Sasuke cupped the blonde's cheek and forced Naruto to look at him. "And I told you that you can. So do it... Or else I'm going to feel like a complete dumbass for confessing..." the raven felt a blush overtake his cheeks, and forced himself to break away. Why in the _world _did he have to get nervous in front of Naruto, of all people! _'Damn it... he's going to laugh. I can feel it now.'_

But laughter never came. Instead, Sasuke heard an intake of breath and Naruto's soft declaration flood his ears like sweet music.

"I think... I think I started to love you... that day when you found me in the courtyard." the blonde started off softly. Sasuke could sense that the blonde was totally embarrassed, but he was too happy to even care about that. "You treated me like a human being. You held me so tightly and promised me that you'd never leave my side... I was so incredibly happy to hear that. Ever since we met in the forest and got our scars, I've never once stopped thinking about. I've pretty much got you on the brain every waking moment."

"And when you're sleeping...?" Sasuke asked with a lewd glance.

"Don't push it, bastard!" Naruto glared slightly, but then his blue eyes softened as Sasuke's warm lips pressed against his cheek. "I seriously felt like someone had ripped my heart out forcibly when you left. Those three years of separation were the worst years of my life because you weren't there... Sure, I became stronger. And my reputation got a little better but... it meant nothing since you weren't there to congratulate me or celebrate with me, you know?" the blonde sighed once more and rested his head against Sasuke's strong shoulder. "You don't even have to ask if you can stay beside me. Because I already expect you to be there right by my side. I wouldn't want it any other way."

When Naruto looked up into Sasuke's eyes again, the raven felt his last rope of self-control snap. He rolled over onto his back and brought Naruto to rest on top of him. The blonde gasped at the sudden movement, and Sasuke took the opportunity of Naruto's open mouth to press his lips against the blonde's. His fingers stroked at the back of Naruto's neck, playing with his blonde strands. He felt the blonde wiggle on top of him, his body touching _all _the right places. Sasuke had to bite back a loud groan when Naruto's thigh brushed against his crotch...

They pulled back when the need for air became apparent. Both their cheeks were visibly flushed, and their breathing came out in pants and mingled in the air. The heat was rising between them. And it took every ounce of whatever self-control Sasuke had left to not tear off Naruto's clothes and take him. Though his hands were naughty little things and found that tickling Naruto's stomach was just _too _hard to resist. Sasuke swallowed back the lump in his throat as he heard Naruto's sweet moan float in the air, and go straight to his groin...

_'Damn it...' _he thought, Naruto was just _too _damn hot for his own good. Those beautiful, plump, lips were parted. Practically _screaming _to be attacked. The blonde's blue orbs were glittering with something the raven couldn't place. It wasn't fear. And there wasn't too much confusion floating around. Whatever it was, though, made Sasuke's body heat flare up considerably.

"Naruto..." he whispered, blowing hot breath against the blonde's plump lips. He enjoyed watching the blonde shiver on top. Smirking, Sasuke pulled Naruto's bottom lip with his teeth gently, rolling the flesh between his teeth before he lapped at it with his tongue. He felt heat beginning to pool in all the right areas, and damn it! If Naruto didn't stop rolling his hips...

Somehow, Sasuke's hands found their way up Naruto's shirt. Simply massaging the taut muscles that were hidden from view. Hot lips connected with equally hot, tanned, skin and bit onto it softly. Suck, bite, lick, until there was a nicely sized bruise on the blonde's previously unmarked skin.

"W-Wait..." Naruto muttered, desperately trying to fight off the hands tickling his stomach. "I s-said... w-wait... Teme!"

Sasuke pulled back with a frown on his face, raising an eyebrow in question.

"What does this make us?" Naruto asked flatly when he felt composed enough to talk.

"By this, you mean my touching you?"

"Well, duh! That, and the whole heartfelt confessions we just blabbed!" Naruto scoffed and rolled off of Sasuke, much to the raven's disappointment. "I have no idea where the hell you learned to do that... Wait! Are you a virgin?"

Sasuke was pretty offended that Naruto would even ask such a question. Sure, Orochimaru had royally screwed him over, but the man never put him into _that _type of environment. Well, as far as he _remembered _anyways...

"Yes, Naruto. I still have my virginity well in tact. Orochimaru never introduced me to sex."

"Oh Thank God..." Naruto muttered in relief, and rested his head on Sasuke's shoulder. The two were now propped against the bed's headboard, sitting side by side with their hands clasped together tightly. "At least he did _one _thing right..."

"Well..." Sasuke drawled nonchalantly. "There aremany things I have probably forced myself to forget..."

"You bastard!" Naruto screamed and punched the raven square on the shoulder. "Don't you even _joke _about that or I'll make sure you never get the chance to lose your virginity!"

Sasuke ignored the threat, smiling softly as Naruto got jealous over something that probably never happened. Normally, he would have been more concerned on whether he _was _a virgin or not but somewhere deep inside of him was rather... calm. So he played that as his answer that he was still a virgin.

"If you're worried about me losing it to someone else, you don't have to worry. My virginity will be yours for the taking." aww, Sasuke's such a gentleman...

"Damn it! I told you to stop saying things like that!" Naruto muttered, lamely punching the raven on the shoulder once more. "You never answered my question..."

"That's because you got sidetracked." Sasuke stated simply, running his free hand through Naruto's hair.

"Well I'm back on track, now. So answer my question."

"Do you honestly think I would kiss you and expect us to just stay best friends?" Sasuke shook his head at the incredulity of it all. "If it makes you feel better, we can always go out..."

"This is such a weird way of approaching the topic..." Naruto had to giggle at how... _awkward _things seemed to be turning out. "If you ask me nicely, I don't think I'll say no."

"You don't think?" the raven parroted with a smirk.

"I said if you asked me nicely! Don't be such a bastard."

"Alright... fine. Naruto Uzumaki—"

"Yes, Sasuke Uchiha?" Naruto asked, battering his eyelashes.

Sasuke scoffed and flicked the blonde on the forehead. "Dobe. Let me finish or else we won't be getting _anywhere_." the blonde had to shut up at that because, well, he _did _want to clarify their status. "Will you go out with me?"

"You know what, Teme? I think I will." Naruto replied cheekily, which earned him a rather sound kiss on the lips.

When the two parted again, they both had the silliest grins plastered on their faces.

"But let's not call ourselves boyfriends." Naruto said after a few minutes of silence.

Sasuke was actually confused about that. "Why not? I thought you wanted us to clarify what we were?"

"Tch, I know what I want! It's just that calling us boyfriends sounds really... corny."

"You're impossible..." the raven muttered. "Then what do you want to call us, then?"

"Hmm... I'm really digging the word 'lovers' right now. That's what my Dad refers to Pein as, anyway. His loverr." he stretched the word out longer than necessary and batted his eyelashes again.

Sasuke had to admit, he rather liked the sound of that word. Lovers. Naruto was... his lover. Yeah, that sounded right. Hell, it sounded down right amazing! And Sasuke couldn't help but kiss his lover once more.

This change, like the others around him, was so sudden. But to Sasuke, it felt so damn right.

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><p>I think next chapter I'll definitely turn the evil switch on ;). Lmfao! I'm totally digging how this turned outt. I was going to post this yesterday but I couldn't bring myself to finish this v.v. So you get it today (:!<p>

Review and you save a panda :) Come on! Click the little button down there and save a baby panda!

You know you want to ;3.

Till next time, my lovelies!


	15. Unfolds

Thank you all so much for reviewing last time! Baby pandas have been saved! You guys get me so pumped to write, so I told myself to sit my ass down, forget about this oneshot I was obsessing over, and get this chapter up! It was so hard to come up with a one-word chapter title for this. And somehow the word "Unfolds" came to mind so I'm like... "Yeah, I'll use it o.o!"

**Warning: There is no fluff in this! It's dark, focuses on Orochimaru (hopefully he's not OOC :C) , and will lead into an arc of pain, betrayal, tainted romance (8D), and chaos! Mwahahahaha! **

**Disclaimer: I own this plot, but sadly I don't own Naruto -siiiiigh-**

Enjoy :D

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><p><strong>Chapter Fifteen: Unfolds<strong>

"_I can see the world turning to ash in front of my eyes. When everyone loses hope, that's when I'll step in my rightful place as supreme ruler." – Orochimaru, age undefined._

Orochimaru leaned back against the headboard, eyes closed in pleasure as his willing servant serviced him with that oh-so-talented mouth of his. A teasing, but hard, suck at the tip. Then, a devilish pink tongue would slip out to lick the slit and tease it until there were beads of pre-cum dripping from the head. And finally, his servant would completely consume his pulsing organ in that hot, little, mouth he loved so much. It was such a turn on, really, to use people. To have people submit to your will. To have them call you 'Master'. Just knowing he had such power over his rebels, over this man that was pleasuring him so, made Orochimaru shiver in pure ecstasy.

However, there was one little bird that _eluded _his control entirely. The thought of having Sasuke Uchiha, his star pupil, made a cold fury settle in his veins. He gripped onto Kabuto's hair and forced his head away as he came hard; his essence staining the silver-haired man's face. Golden eyes that were smudged by lust were now tainted by a dark anger. Sasuke Uchiha. The one and only person to have ever escape his dominance. It was not possible! It could _not _be possible. Sasuke Uchiha was his! He had staked a claim over the boy ever since he had first heard about him through the Underground Network—a collection of information networks that deal with rumors, gossips, and so on.

He had him to. The boy was putty in his hands, almost molded into the _perfect _puppet. Then someone had to come along and smash his forming clay doll into pieces. Orochimaru bit down on his lower lip, half out of the rather painful bite Kabuto had given him on his inner thigh, and the other half from his annoyance over the situation in general. In his mind, his plan was set up as a chessboard. The chessboard was the metaphor for the two countries: Soleil and the Luna Empire. The pawns were his rebels he had swayed to join him with a promise of a country _they _could rule (idiots, not realizing that Orochimaru had no intention of sharing the power with anyone other than his pupil). The black knights would be Kabuto and Sasuke (if Sasuke were still _here_). Bishops and rooks; four people he had appointed on the council to keep tabs on what happened to his little bird and how his mission was going. And finally the King and Queen—King Fugaku and Queen Mikoto. Though the King and Queen weren't truly on his side, they respected him for his power and legacy, and that was enough to control them.

His chess pieces were all perfectly laid out on the board. He knew where to move them. Though it seemed as if the white pieces would just throw more and more trouble his way.

_'The Jinchuuriki Prince.' _the man scowled deeply, the once pleasurable euphoria that was buzzing through his veins was now tainted with distaste of a perfectly good plan becoming undone at the seams. Yes, he knew that Sasuke and the Jinchuuriki Prince would come into contact with one another. He was the overseer of the mission being assigned to Sasuke, after all. However, Orochimaru did not expect the factor that the two would have grown so... close. That unwanted variable had thrown his plans haywire. He needed Sasuke if he wanted his goals to be complete. Yes, the Jinchuuriki Prince was powerful, but only because of the beast locked inside of him. The only use Orochimaru would have had for him would be the demon—and that phase of the plan did not need to be activated yet.

Orochimaru was a man that liked order. He liked seeing his schemes bloom into what he had aspired them to be. To see what he had worked for for eight years easily get chopped down by something so petty as _feelings _made his stomach churn.

"My lord," Kabuto whispered huskily, his finger trailing up and down his master's taut and pale stomach. "you seem rather... disinterested tonight."

The man turned his golden eyes towards his loyal servant—the boy that had been with him since the beginning, and smirked. Kabuto's eyes were shining with disappointment along with a gleam of lust that never faded. And, oh my, the way he was rubbing his cock against his master's outer thigh...

Orochimaru grinned wickedly and in one foul swoop he had his little Kabuto in his lap, grinding their hips together to create beautiful friction.

"You'll just have to fix that, won't you, Kabuto?" he purred, flicking his abnormally long, pink tongue out to prod the man's ear.

Kabuto gasped, head thrown back as the wonderful pleasure from the friction overrode his senses.

"Y-Yes... My lord."

+Eclipse+

The next evening afterwords Orochimaru was rather pleased, to say the least. He was sitting in his study reviewing some ancient texts in the hopes he could dig up a rather old spell from the Ancient World—where magic flourished and technology was just a myth. So far he had come up with nothing, but he had a premonition that if he kept searching through this particular book... he'd find it.

A knock on the door brought the man out of his thoughts, and he was ready to rip out the vocal chords of whoever was foolish enough to try to disturb his studying. To his surprise—though he didn't show it—one of his spies on the council, Zetsu, entered.

"My lord." he said briskly, bowing slightly before standing up to address his master.

Orochimaru lifted his gaze slightly, taking the few seconds to read the man's painted face. When he found absolutely nothing to discern what this man needed, he turned his attention back to his book.

"Yes? What is it that you want?"

"You know. The usual; I want revenge." the clucking of teeth signaled Zetsu that Orochimaru wasn't in the mood for his sarcasm tonight; pity. "Fine then. Seriously speaking I would like to know when you'll be putting this so-called plan of yours into action. It has already been eight years since they have met, my lord. I think it would be wise if we attacked now."

Orochimaru lifted his gaze, but didn't close the book he was reading, showing that he was only partially interested in what the man had to say. "You think so, Zetsu?"

The man didn't falter. "Yes."

"And do you think that in our current state we would become successful?"

"Of course, my lord!" Zetsu exclaimed. "Our army is powerful. You, my lord, hold the power of both New and Ancient magic. We could over throw the Luna Empire in a matter of minutes! And then invade Soleil completely in two weeks!"

"True," Orochimaru replied plainly and dropped his eyes back onto the text. He flipped to the next page. "But foolish. Horribly foolish."

Zetsu clenched his jaw tightly, holding back every foul word he wanted to throw at the man. He was snappy, and normally didn't care how careless he was with his words around others, but when he used his lack of tact around Orochimaru it normally ended up with him in _severe _pain. So he kept whatever crass comments he had safely stored in his head.

"How so?"

"Because, my dear servant," the man exhaled through his nose sharply and flipped to the next page, annoyance marred on his face. "We can not move until I've required the last piece of the puzzle."

Zetsu shook his head slowly and shot his master a look. "You have been searching for that spell for years! Both the Ancient and the New text have not revealed anything of such forbidden magic! That sort of thing has been wiped off the face of the Earth for centuries."

Golden eyes examined his irritating servant, boredom obviously evident in those pools. "I would advise you not to snap at me, Zetsu. I can never truly trust my temper, and you are testing it heavily at the moment. I know that such magic has been 'wiped', as you say, from the texts, but do you truly think that people would be foolish enough to throw it away forever? No, my boy, they are not. The magic is still there. The rules, guidelines, and tricks to practice it are still there. It is just that no one knows of it, yet." he dropped his gaze back to the book, eyes scanning over words—looking for clues.

And then, as if by a stroke of fate, he found the key.

"Zetsu, come here." Orochimaru commanded.

Zetsu was standing by his side immediately. "Hm? What is it, my lord?"

Orochimaru placed a slim finger towards the picture of interest. He watched as Zetsu's eyes widened considerably, before narrowing at him in suspicion.

"What is this supposed to be?" he asked quietly.

Orochimaru grinned slyly and read the caption below the picture. "_The Plains of Aura._ A place hidden from humans for thousands of years. It is said to be a myth passed through the throng of hopeful people. But to others... the place is very real."

"I have heard nothing about this place." Zetsu answered truthfully as he leaned in for a better look. The picture in the book looked as if someone had actually gone there and snapped a painted it from _being _there. There were luscious green hills tinted with a light blue in the background. A light mist covered the rounded tips of every hill. It seemed as if they formed a semi-circle around the area. The sky was a haze of purple painted with swirls that looked as if someone had drew them there themselves. Zetsu shook his head wildly, a visible frown scarred on his face.

"This place looks like a fantasy world. It couldn't possibly exist."

"Ah, but it does..." there it was again, that sly grin that showed Zetsu how much Orochimaru knew but wasn't going to share. "Now I am glad that you invaded my study, for I can send you on a mission." Orochimaru cocked his head to the side and rested his chin in the palm of his hand. "Hopefully you'll accept, won't you?"

Zetsu would have been a fool to say no.

+Eclipse+

A few weeks later, Orochimaru found his men sitting around a huge table playing some form of poker. They were all idiots to him, but they got their jobs done and he needed the pawns if he ever wanted his plan to be complete. Kabuto was rightly by his side, but his left side felt oddly cold because a certain _bird _wasn't there. But all in due time, Orochimaru thought. Right now, he was more focused on putting the next phase into action.

"You're looking rather enthusiastic tonight." Kabuto pointed out smoothly, watching how his master's lips curled upwards ever-so-slightly.

"But of course. After all," he inhaled deeply, taking in the different scents and auras wafting through the air. When he exhaled, a pleasant hum escaped his lips. "bloodlust was always a turn on."

Kabuto chuckled, pushing his sliding glasses up the bridge of his nose. "The scent is quite intoxicating. And you've been holding those men back for a few years now... I'm going to guess that Zetsu has come back from his trip successful."

"What would make you think that?" the man cocked a perfectly trimmed eyebrow.

Kabuto simply shrugged and placed his hands behind his back. "A simple guess. That, and your aura practically _screams _how pleased you are right now."

Orochimaru hummed once more, a sick twinkle glittering in his eyes. "You always had that annoying habit to read my aura whenever I try to conceal it." they both knew otherwise, though. Orochimaru allowed Kabuto to sense his aura because he _wanted _him to. But Kabuto didn't really care either way, for it showed that his master truly trusted him. And that made him extremely happy.

They reached the end of the corridor which lead to a balcony overlooking the thousands and thousands of rebels Orochimaru had collected and persuaded over the years. He leaned forward, hands clasping onto the railing, as he looked onwards at his followers. The men, and a few women, that would allow him to lead him to a world where _he _was the supreme ruler. Where order was the definition _he _created. There was so much power pumping through his veins it left the man a little high.

All chatter ceased. All eyes turned to the man that would lead them to victory—the overthrowing of the Luna Empire. Knees brushed against the tiled floor as everyone bowed respectfully to Orochimaru.

"Long live Orochimaru!" they chanted, praise, adoration, and conviction laced in every word.

Orochimaru raised a hand and at once their chanting ceased. "My people, tonight is the night we strike! Now is the time we overthrow that wretched Uchiha family and claim the throne for ourselves! Once the Luna Empire is in our hands, invading Soleil Kingdom will be child's play." a sinister smile spread across his face as the bloodlust increased rapidly in his rebellion. He could smell it. Their want to kill. Their want for revenge. The absolute _need _to spread havoc with just the tips of their fingers. Orochimaru would be the start of this all. The start of such beautiful darkness overtaking the land. The process of the Luna Empire's and Soleil Kingdom's utter _downfall_.

"Let us reek pure _chaos _unto this godforsaken empire!"

The chants, the cheers, the yells of passion for causing destruction wherever they could go rang through Orochimaru's ears—sinful music to his ears. Sounds of feet scuffling out of the darkness, and the sense of another man's aura caused Orochimaru to shift his eyes sideways as the person cloaked in shadows finally made themselves known.

"Way to rile up a crowd." he muttered gruffly.

Orochimaru chuckled quietly before turning back to his rebels that were clawing out the door one by one. "I always find it easy to... _excite _people." golden eyes shifted slightly to watch the semi-visible shiver dance along Kabuto's spine. Priceless.

The man behind him frowned visibly and ran a hand through his spiky hair. "I just got a picture I could have really lived without. Now seriously, when do I get to spill some blood?" his lips contorted into a smile that showed his pointed teeth—a truly demonic trait.

"By all means, go ahead and do it tonight." Orochimaru flicked his abnormally long tongue and licked his lips slowly. "I can't wait to see the beautiful threads of unity between the sun and the moon unravel before me..."

The hired assassin rolled his visible eye and hefted his large sword over his shoulder. "You are one, poetically _sick_,bastard." shaking his head slowly, the man turned on his heel and descended into the shadows. Orochimaru may be all sorts of insane, but hey, that really didn't matter right now. The need to kill something was pumping loudly in his veins and it would be rude to ignore it.

On the night when the moon was stained in red, purple mists covering it's ethereal glow. Chaos descended upon the Luna Empire. And blood was stained in the Soleil Kingdom.

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><p>So how did I do? Hate or like it? Wish I threw in some SasuNaru goodness? 8D. Wondering who that man was with the huge sword? (Come on! take a guess xDD) Click that little review button and tell me what you thought ;)! Anonymous or not you are all welcomed! We're saving baby pandas that way :)<p>

Till next time!


	16. Death

Guys I'm EXTREMELY sorry for the delay! First week of school got in the way of pretty much everything... As the title suggests there WILL be a death. Who's is it? You will have to read and find out 8D.

**Warning: CHARACTER DEATH! And this chapter is a little different from the rest because I don't solely focus on Naruto. Somewhat gory... not really, I think you'll be fine. And possible OOC? Just kinda happened that way -shrugs-**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, sadly.**

Enjoy guys :DDD! This chapter was such a bitch to write...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Sixteen: Death<strong>

"_Blood was everywhere... then all I saw was black."-Naruto Uzumaki age 17._

"You look... happy."

Naruto looked up from the manga he was reading and cocked a blonde eyebrow. "Do I?"

Deidara nodded fervently, leaning in closer so he could get a good look at Naruto's smile. The blonde was grinning from ear-to-ear, so much that Deidara had to question himself once or twice as to whether or not such a smile was fake. That's when he took a quick glance at Naruto's eyes, surprised to see that his shit-eating smile reached up there as well. Now Deidara may be known around the kingdom as some psychotic vagabond with a strange addiction to explosions, but the man was a bloody _genius _when it came to things such as reading people. If he knew Naruto as well as he thought he did—which was pretty damn well—then Deidara could easily put two and two together.

"Oh my God... The Uchiha brat asked you out didn't he?" the older blonde was bouncing on the balls of his feet. Since it was midday and most people rarely stepped into his weapons shop, Deidara had allowed Naruto to take a seat on the stool behind the counter while he did some inventory of the front of the store. On any other day, the older blonde would have the smaller blonde whining down his throat about things being "too fucking slow" and "absolutely boring", but today Naruto was docile. Such abnormal behavior sent all the warning bells ringing in Deidara's mind, hence the sudden point blank observation.

Naruto's smile was finally teared down so his lips could form an 'O' while his eyes turned wide as saucers. "How'd you know?" Naruto highly doubted Sasuke came down here himself to tell Deidara, mostly because Sasuke found the older man annoying.

Deidara scoffed and rolled his visible blonde eye. "I'm offended, brat! You think I'm too oblivious to see the fuckin' facts! You might as well had painted "I'M IN LOVE" right on that forehead of yours!" the smaller blonde couldn't help but cast his eyes upwards at the mention of his forehead. Was he really _that _transparent? "Yes, blondie. You are." Deidara said as if reading Naruto's thoughts, and pretty much proving his point.

"Ugggh, I can't believe I'm that obvious!" the blonde dropped his face into his opened manga. He was greeted with a rather gory image of someone having their own arm ripped out of its socket. Who knew the blonde liked horror so much?

Grabbing a nearby stool, Deidara walked around the counter and set the stool down, plopping right next to Naruto with a scowl on his face. "No! What I can't believe is that you didn't fuckin' tell me such important shit! I've known yah since diapers! Get the fuckin' decency to keep me in the loop."

Naruto looked up from his manga with, laughing awkwardly as he had to face Deidara's intense stare down. Deidara could be fucking intimidating when he wanted to be—which was most of the time. "I'm sorry! It seriously slipped my mind to tell you... honest." he added weakly when Deidara's glare turned even more fiery. The blonde could feel that if he didn't start some serious groveling, his hide was going to be plastered on the wall above Deidara's fireplace. "Hey! At least I'm telling you now!"

"Yah should have told me sooner, brat."

"I said I was sorry!"

"Sorry don't fix shit!" Deidara was having enough of the bullshit and slammed his fist against the counter top. He was rather pleased to see Naruto jump a few inches off his seat from the act. "Now you're going to tell me every single thing that happened between you and that Uchiha, got it? And then when you're done you're gonna let me brand your ass cheek with my logo for holding out on your best friend."

The way Deidara's visible eye was gleaming with such twisted intent on carrying out every word he said, Naruto found himself inching farther and farther away from his demented best friend...

"Now... Now Deidara... let's be reasonable here!" Oh, Deidara zoomed passed reasonable a _long _time ago. "Do we really have to brand my ass cheek again? I couldn't sit down for a week the last time you did it! My dad was really pissed too!" the more Naruto tried to worm and wriggle his way out of Deidara target zone, Deidara just kept on coming closer and closer... a sadistic smirk curling on the ends of his lips.

"Oh Naruto... You were always cute when yah tried to make up excuses." he chuckled darkly as he was walking by and picked up a branding weapon. Twirling it around with his fingers, Deidara couldn't help but feel a rush of exhilaration course through him as he watched Naruto's scared and panic face try to plead for forgiveness. In Deidara's mind, the blonde had it coming for holding out on him. That, and it had been a really long time since Deidara had branded anyone—for punishment or recreation purposes—and he was itching to make Naruto suffer a little...

Their friendship was a weird one, that's for sure.

+Eclipse+

Minato was sitting at his desk, taking a break from the throne room today, looking through some important documents that needed to be signed and passed through to the council by Monday. If there was one thing he _loathed _about being the king of Soleil, it was all the paperwork. His hands would be aching, his joints screaming with inflammation, by the end of the day because of the mountains of papers concerning complaints from the citizens, diplomatic issues, military advancements, etc that needed to be signed or addressed. Sometimes there would be the really interesting news, such as a new piece of land being found and dominated by Soleil. And then other times the complains he'd get from the citizens were of the eye-twitching variety.

_'You'd think people would grow up and learn to accept Naruto...' _Minato carelessly tossed out yet another complaint dealing about his son written with tactless words and jabs. He supposed he should probably do something about the citizens of Soleil. With the way they were acting now the prospect of Naruto becoming king was only a fleeting dream. Sure, over the years Naruto had grown very close with a few of the citizens—that was remarkable in itself. But a majority of the population still resented him for the beast he harbored deep inside. _'They really should be hating me.' _he thought with a frown as he leafed through a packet dealing with a proposal from the southern general. _'I did seal the Kyuubi inside of him after all.' _The king shook his head sadly as he wrote his signature down on the dotted line. Sometimes trying to figure out someone else's thought process was bothersome.

The sun outside was starting to bleed in with the hazy purples and blues of the night. Four, _long_, hours Minato had spent in this, very uncomfortable, chair away from his son—though he was out for the day—and his lover, who seemed to have disappeared without a trace. _'He'll come back. He always come back.' _Feeling like it was finally time to take a much needed break, Minato pushed himself away from the table—rolling chairs came in handy sometimes—and reclined in his chair. Thoughts with no beginnings or apparent endings swirled through his mind. They were simply going nowhere, and for once Minato was content with the chaos in his mind. The strange feeling in his gut that had been attacking him for the past week or so had not yet gone away. It was warning him of something, he could tell. His first thought was something horrible was going to happen to Naruto, so for a few days he assigned Pein to secretly watch his son in case anything happened. So far nothing detrimental had happened, but that _still _hadn't eased the worry or anxiety pooling in his gut.

That's when Minato realized the faintest of presences lingering along the outskirts of his city. He had this nifty little power, you see, brought along by Soleil's exceptional technological resources. Hidden deep underground were metal spokes that formed a circle around the entire city of Soleil. It's frequency extended from the city—the central point—all the way to the outskirts of the country bordering the Luna Empire and the southern kingdoms. The sole purpose of such a machine was to sense the presence of outside forces—such as humans, animals, natural occurrences, etc. Of course a little magic helped here and there, though Soleil was more for their technological advances rather than their magical ones, unlike the Luna Empire.

Back to the unknown presence. Minato could already tell by the aura that the person was a male, though the person's intents, thoughts, and feelings were shadowed heavily by a magical barrier meaning one thing: this man was highly suspicious. Rather obviously, really, but Minato was set into high alert mode for the next couple of days until the presence randomly... vanished. The thought of something being able to walk into his city and then vanish so suddenly was unnerving, to say the least. And since then Minato's nerves were always threatening to snap, his mood was rather cranky and insatiable, and his gut feeling was _screaming _at him that something terrible was going to happen.

Blowing air upwards to push away his bangs from his eyes, Minato once again found himself getting lost in his own murky thoughts as the stars came out to play. The moon was fully lit tonight, a rare occurrence in Soleil—but welcomed nonetheless. The king was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't even hear the door opening nor hear the familiar soft, quiet, footsteps entering his study until a pair of arms snaked around his shoulders and a heated mouth pressed against his neck.

"Something's on your mind." Pein stated quietly. He pressed another kiss to the man's skin, loving Minato's taste that always seemed to linger on his lips and tongue for days on end.

The king instantly felt calmed when his lover's arms wrapped around his shoulder. All his anxieties and fears seemed to have been swept away by the fiery kisses Pein would leave on the back of his neck, an enticing vein, his delicious collar bone... A soft gasp escaped the man's lips when Pein bit exceptionally hard on his neck—enough to draw blood—only to suck on it gently afterwords as if apologizing for causing the pain in the first place. Minato never cared, though. He liked the pain—relished it—because it was _Pein _inflicting it. Just the thought of the man pounding into him roughly with every bit of passion and emotion fueling him on made Minato shudder in anticipation.

"I suppose I am." Minato sighed as his lover started to massage his shoulders. He leaned his head back on to Pein's shoulder and smiled seductively. "I'm thinking about how much I want you inside of me right now..."

The orange-haired man with a face full of piercings simply smirked and hoisted his lover out of his chair before sitting down on it himself. He slammed Minato down on his lap, grinding his already throbbing, clothed erection against the man's stomach.

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing."

+Eclipse+

Nimble and lean fingers casually drummed against the rising and falling chest of his lover, seemingly content to be snuggled up against his side. Pein had—as always—lived up to his promise and made Minato scream, trash, and beg in pleasure. Now he felt completely spent, but that nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach had _still _yet to leave him. No amount of euphoric afterglow could remove the rock that had settled in his gut.

"You're not asleep, yet." whenever it came to Minato, Pein rarely every _asked_ but stated things instead.

"Neither are you."

Pein chuckled lightly and brought Minato closer to his side. "That's kind of hard to do when you have someone groping your chest."

The king chuckled."What can I say...? I like touching you." snuggling in closer, Minato took the time to truly feel his lover's aura—his essence—and get a little drunk off it of. He relished being so close to Pein, feeling the man's steady heartbeats, the intakes of his breathing. Being near Pein always made the rest of the world turn blurry because the only thing he was focused on was Pein. Now, though, no matter how much he tried to drown himself in all that was Pein... that horrible gut feeling had not left.

Pein sighed softly as Minato's fingers kept caressing his skin pleasantly, but he still wasn't content. He carefully shifted himself on his side so that he could stare right into Minato's eyes. "You still haven't told me what was on your mind."

"Hmm?" Minato hummed, cocking a lazy eyebrow in the air. "I thought I did. And if I remember correctly you were thinking the same thing." he said with a sinful smirk.

"And you thought I wouldn't have seen through that? Please. Don't pull that bullshit with me and tell it to me straight." Pein hated when his lover hid things from him because it made the man feel as if Minato didn't trust him enough to let him in on his thoughts. Sure, Pein wasn't the type of person to openly tell people every single thought that was racing through his mind at the moment but at least he would go to Minato if something was truly bothering him. To see Minato try to evade him made his heart sink a little.

The two stared at one another for what seemed to be ages. Blue eyes classed with ringed eyes in a test of sheer will to see who would cave in first. To Minato's dismay, he was could never hold up against Pein's intense glare for too long and found the words and feelings he had desperately tried to hold in spilling out of him...

"Something bad is going to happen, Pein. I can feel it... And before you interrupt me, hear me out. You remember that strange presence we felt awhile ago that suddenly disappeared, correct?" Pein could only nod. "I just can't seem to get that out of my head... I know that worrying over it probably will not lead to anything good but... my nerves are so frazzled right now I don't know what to think."

In these moments when Pein was lucky—or in some cases, unlucky—to see Minato's vulnerable side, Pein had learned that the best thing to do was silently comfort his love and allow him to get whatever was bothering him off his chest. Scooping Minato up in his arms, Pein held him as tightly as he dared; almost to the point of breaking bones. A kiss as light as a feather was pressed against Minato's forehead, proclaiming words of reassurance and comfort.

"As long as I'm here you have nothing to fear, Minato." Pein continued to whisper sweet nothings into his king's ears until the sun started to creep up into the sky.

Guilt started to overtake Minato next when he realized that Pein's words of encouragement did nothing to ease his anxiety...

+Eclipse: A few Days Later+

Nighttime was approaching, covering the city of the sun in it's dark blanket. As always, Minato was closing the door to Naruto's behind him after another long conversation the two normally shared at nights. They talked about many things. Sometimes pointless matters such as what ramen they should try next time they're free or what stiff official they would love to prank. Other times they talked about more personal issues such as Naruto's progression in warming up the citizens or, more interesting, Naruto's relationship with Sasuke.

Naruto's would sparkle with delight as he talked about the raven, and Minato would always sit back against the headboard with a pleased smile on his face. It was the first time he'd ever seen his son so animated about someone else. Though he hated to bring his son's mood down a notch, Minato had made it very clear that Naruto should keep his relationship with Sasuke under wraps for numerous reasons. A few being that for one, not everyone was accepting of gay relationships. Two, the citizens of Soleil really didn't need another thing to add onto their lists of 'Why we hate Naruto'. And three, there was no telling what sort of reaction they would get from Sasuke's father, Fugaku, if news spread around but their relationship. The man could be highly eccentric when he wanted, but no one was a stranger to his darker side that was just as terrifying as his flamboyant side.

His son had taken the news rather well—actually, Minato had _hoped _Naruto had taken it well. Naruto had just looked at him with calm yet searching blue eyes for a total of ten seconds before nodding to his father that he was right. Obviously the king was shocked that Naruto hadn't flipped out as he had expected, but the smaller blonde had informed him that Sasuke already told him the same things earlier. Now the king found himself standing in the dimly lit hallway wondering when Naruto had grown up so fast...

_'To think that only a few years ago the boy would throw a tantrum over the littlest of things... and now he's dating.' _Minato sighed listlessly, "They grow up so fast." he muttered as he started to walk down the hallway to his bedroom where, hopefully, Pein would be waiting there fully clad in his birthday suit.

Footsteps echoed down the seemingly empty hallway. Torches flickered to life once Minato passed them, leaving a trail of contained flames behind him. His thoughts this time were simple ones clouded with lust and wanting but then... something made Minato stop in his tracks. He was just a few steps away from the door now, but the presence he was sensing _behind _it was not Pein's.

It was the aura belonging to the person who had appeared in the city a few weeks ago...

The aura behind the door was faint, but still noticeable enough so that the right person walking by would have noticed it. Caution took over as Minato went for the knife hidden in his robe pocket—sometimes it paid off to be paranoid. Placing his palm flat against the wooden door to his room, the king exhaled a breath and pushed his aura to the tips of his fingers. A blue-ish green aura surrounded his hand as he chanted an incantation that would block of all aura-sensors as well as lock the room so no one could get in and no one could get out except for the person that applied the spell.

"About time he came here..." Minato whispered, pushing open the door crack by crack and peering into his room. Inch by inch was exposed until the king took his very first step inside where... absolutely nothing was waiting for him. No one on the bed. No one sitting on the chair positioned at the small desk in the corner. No one _anywhere_.

Such realization made his blood go cold.

Minato hesitantly stepped inside until he was fully immersed in his room. His senses were on full alert, ready to snap at the tiniest of movements. Turning his head slowly from side to side, Minato surveyed his surroundings. His bed looked in order—as in no earlier signs of a mid-afternoon romp could be seen. His desk located in the far off corner seemed to be in the complete disarray it was when Minato had left it a few hours before. The windows positioned on the west and east ends of his room were locked securely, no augury of someone slipping through. Everything was in order; complete perfection.

The king's hairs stood on end as paranoia kicked into overdrive.

And then, he felt it... the subtle movement of an aura making itself known. A tiny flicker of ignition was enough to have Minato turn on his heel and point his knife at the neck of his creeper.

"Hm, you seem tense." the man drawled, sparing a bored glance downwards at the knife positioned at his throat. "Now this isn't nice. Pointing sharp objects at your guest is a social no-no." the raven tilted his head slightly and smiled, revealing a sharp set of teeth perfectly polished to a dazzling white. "Nice room. Though it could use some color... Gray is so bland."

"You have five seconds to tell me who sent you and why you're here before I slit your throat." Minato stated blandly, adding a little more pressure with his knife to prove his point. As the king it was common sense to know that someone _some_where would want your life at one point. Whether it was out of hatred for your belief system, an assassination, or to simply gain power. Though such knowledge did nothing to settle Minato's pounding heartbeat.

The raven clucked his teeth in feigned disappointed and let out a yawn. "What would I matter if I told you anyways? You'll be dead in less than five minutes." he grinned once more. "Oh, I know how I can liven up the room! I'll splatter the walls with your _blood_. Or even better, I'll hang your bloody corpse as a mantel..." the man shivered in sinful ecstasy as fantasy's of the blonde's beautiful corpse pinned the walls by his knives flooded his mind. The man was truly a visionary at heart...

Minato growled in utter disgust. _'Alright, so he's an assassin. And from the looks of it he's less than sane.' _he mentally shook off the fear that wanted to crawl up his spine and forced himself to remain calm. He would _not _let this psychopath get to him. "I'll ask you one more time," Minato narrowed his eyes into slit at the man dressed in all black with bandages wrapped around the left side of his face, "Who. Sent. You?"

"You know I'm not too sure of that myself..." the raven chuckled once more, amusement flashing in that empty black eye of his before freezing over with a chilly indifference. He lowered his eye at the king who had yet to secrete the terror he longed for and fed off of from his victims. This one had resilience, a backbone, and for a minute Zabuza felt almost... _guilty _he had to kill someone with such tenacity. Such an annoying feelings quickly vaporized as wave after wave of sick and twisted pleasure coursed through his system. He _loved _the wily ones—they put up such a delicious fight.

Zabuza licked his lips in anticipation of the kill, deciding that anymore talking and he'd lose his adrenaline rush. Faster than Minato could track, Zabuza had unsheathed his sword and pushed him back with the handle, flinging him into the wall. Back met brick, causing a scream to rip out of Minato's throat as pain coursed through his system.

_'So... fast.' _his mind gasped as he slid to the floor, his subconscious flicking on and off. _'Can't pass out...' _Minato struggled to get up to his feet, refusing to lose to this man so easily. He was the king, damn it! If he had gone down without a fight it would forever place shame no the Namikaze Line! Overwhelming pride and stubborn determination were the driving forces that helped Minato stand up, albeit a little wobbly. He spat up blood onto the tiled floor below him while he glared at the man who was examining his heavy sword with boredom.

"Aww... you stood up." if Zabuza was anyone else he would have pouted, however the disappointment signed brightly in his words like a child who didn't get what they wanted. "You're a tougher bitch then I thought." a wicked grin spread on his face, the rush of the kill coursing through his system, swinging his sword to his side where the tip of the blade hit the ground with an audible 'thud'. He saw the visible twitch—though small—go through the king's body and smirked. Ah, the first signs of fear...

Somehow Minato still find the ability to smile coyly as he dug out another hidden knife from his coat pocket, making a show of twirling it around his fingers before it was carefully grasped in his hand. "I am Soleil's king after all. It would be a pity if I died from such a weak attack."

"Weak attack my ass!" Zabuza scoffed. He placed himself into an attack position, sword gripped with both hands. The pleasure and passion of being able to kill the king was sending his mind into an almost high-induced buzzed. He could literally _taste _Minato's blood on his tongue. Licking the sweet liquid off his blade was something he _relished _to do. Hm, maybe he'd even ask to keep the corpse after his boss was all said and done with the plan...

"All this talking is a huge turn off. Let's dance, pretty boy." like lightning, Zabuza disappeared in a flash, only to reappear Minato swinging his sword aimed for the king's waist—surely a clean cut through and through. But Minato was just as fast, and disappeared the attack, though a piece of his robe was cut off in his attempts to dodge. He landed a few feet away, the soles of his feet skidding across the floor as he crouched into position. Pushing all of his energy to the bottom of his feet Minato took off, crouched low with his dagger in hand he aimed for the man's stomach. He expected the man to move, dodge, defend—do _something—_but Zabuza simply stood there with a smile on his face as if he _wanted _to be stabbed.

Well, if he insisted...

The blade was plunged deep in the man's abdomen. Minato twisted it to the left, specifically aiming for the vital organs before pulling back to see his knife stained in blood. He would have been satisfied and waited for the man's body to start shutting down, but something inside of him was saying that this fight wasn't over yet...

Zabuza looked down at his thoroughly soaked shirt, that was still bleeding, and placed a few fingers near the wound. His fingers were drenched with his blood, just the sight of it was making the man woozy. But not of disgust or faintness... oh no, Zabuza was getting turned _on _from the sight and was taking all his willpower to not melt into a pool of bliss. Instead, he focused all that pleasure and twisted into his craving for _more _of the red substance. Bringing the blood up to his lips, he sucked and licked on his fingers until the only thing they were covered in was saliva. His eyes were gleaming with pure sadism, and possible insanity, as he watched Minato turn stiff in front of him.

"How'd you know I loved blood? Though I'm more into others blood than my own..." he sighed and lapped at his index finger, the aftertaste of his blood still sent electrifying tingles in his mouth. Granted the wound was hurting like a bitch right now and would probably slow down his speed significantly, Zabuza still didn't care. Blood was the thing that gave him life, essence, a _kick _more so than it should...

"Y-You... how...? Minato stuttered but before he could finish his sentence Zabuza was charging for him. With the devil's luck Minato managed to evade his attack but Zabuza just kept on coming and coming. _'Damn it. How is he still able to move after such an attack.' _his eyes traveled to the wet spot on the man's black tunic, the pool of blood becoming larger and larger as the assassin kept attacking, but it was like the wound didn't even bother him! _'Shit!' _he was barely able to dodge that last attack as he rolled on the floor, his back nearly crushed by the sole of Zabuza's boot. _'Just who the hell is this guy?' _

It took more effort this time to stand up. The world seemed to spin around the blonde king. His vision was sorely disoriented, and he felt the urge to puke rise and fall in his stomach. Minato was still adamant on ending up on top though he knew if this battle continued any longer he may seriously end up being mantled to his wall. _'This guy is different...' _he thought as he tried to calm his staggered breathing. Precious seconds were spent analyzing his opponent. The air around the assassin was lax—too lax—for such a situation but Minato could sense the deadly venom hidden underneath such an aura. Speaking of his aura... Minato could barely pin-point _anything _from it. It was like the man was dead. No more feelings, emotions, nothing. The man seemed to be a walking zombie...

_'I have to end this now...' _His body was in poor condition, and any minute now the assassin would probably rear up and attack though it seemed like he was having one hell of a time toying with Minato. There was one way out of this. One sure way to finish things once and for all. It was a risky move. And if the spell wasn't completely or performed right Minato would be _dead_. Also, if the man was none the wiser and figured out what he was doing... Minato shook his head of such thoughts and focused on the words needed for the incantation.

The language of the Ancients spilled out of his lips in a hushed whisper as his blue eyes locked with the demented black eye of his assassin. He saw the man grin wryly at him, but that did nothing to stop the string of words flying from his lips.

_'A few more lines...' _

"Yah little bitch," Zabuza wagged his finger mockingly and clucked his teeth. "Who told yah that muttering under your breath was okay? I'll have to cut those pretty little lips off yah... pity." he sighed as if the whole situation was a bother to him before charging at the king once more. This party had gone on long enough. Zabuza wanted blood to be spilled all over the stainless white tiles at his feet and splattered along the gray, rock, walls. He was charging blindly at the king, completely unaware of what his actions would spiral in to.

Everything seemed to have slowed down as Minato came to terms with his choice. This was what he wanted—no _needed _to do. It was the right choice. Naruto would most likely be furious... a wave of pain and guilt attacked him as the face of his grieving son flashed through his mind. He never wanted to be the source of such pain for his son... but he would be leaving him in capable hands—Sasuke and Pein. Pein, his lover, the man who was by his side for longer than Minato could remember; ever since they were pupils under the legendary warrior, Jiraya. He felt another pang of sadness and guilt attack him as he heard Zabuza's heavy footsteps dance across the floor, drawing the distance between them closer and closer. He hated to leave Pein behind as well, but he was confident that he would know what to do. They had gone through this before. If anything were to happen to him... Yes, Pein would know exactly what to do.

The thought did nothing to stop the tears flowing down his cheeks, though.

"I'm sorr—" his sentence was cut off as Zabuza's sword was plunged deep into his stomach. Blood was choked from his mouth, spilling onto the floor and dribbling down his chin. The life was immediately diminished from his awe-struck eyes. Zabuza twisted his blade, satisfied to see more blood pooling around the proliferating wound, but he wasn't _truly _content yet.

He still hadn't placed the king's corpse as a mantle on the wall. With a grunt, Zabuza ran straight for the wall, embedding his sword into the surface. The king's corpse dangled lifelessly, pinned to Zabuza's huge blade. Zabuza couldn't control himself much longer and leaned forward to lap at some of the blood dripping from his blade.

A shiver coursed through his body as the taste of foreign blood hit his tongue... _delicious. _

"Now then, Kingy." Zabuza cupped the king's face, loving how he could _still _see the fear and surprise in the king's eyes. "Time to make you pretty."

+Eclipse: Black and Red+

Naruto awoke from a rather frightening nightmare, one that left him in a cold sweat and jumpy as all get out. The dream had felt so _real _that for a minute Naruto had to pinch himself to make sure he was actually awake. In his dream he was standing on top of a hill, staring into a barren land strip of life. Eternal darkness painted the sky and the stench of Death was _everywhere_. Naruto didn't feel anything though. No fear, nor remorse, or even sympathy. He felt an emptiness caked deep in his stomach that made his whole body turn numb. Then he looked further down and found the sea of corpses lining the hill. His father stared up at him with soulless eyes, followed by Pein who _had _no eyes at all. Then there was Sakura who was only a torso with a head attached... Deidara's and Sasori's limbs were _literally _intertwined, stitched together with thin black threads stained in blood. Konohamaru's state wasn't any better. The poor child's body was twisted at unimaginable angles... Itachi was barely even recognizable...

At the top of the gruesome pile was the _last _person Naruto ever wanted to see in such a terrible state. Sasuke's horribly mutilated body was throw at the top, limbs ripped form his body, gashes all along his torso, face, neck—_everywhere_. His lovers lips were sewn shut by blood-stained threads and his eyes were black holes of nothing...

Naruto's body started to convulse then, the severity of the situation finally settling in. Everyone he had ever cared for, _loved_, were now _dead_. This world—his kingdom—was dead, just an empty wasteland full of absolutely nothing.

And now he had to live in a world _alone_.

**You're not alone. Did you forget about little old me? **

Imaginary arms had wrapped around his shoulders, pulling Naruto flushed against the foreign body's chest. A shiver went up his spine, but it was out of pure fear of what would happen next. Naruto couldn't open his mouth to speak, the words just wouldn't come. Silent tears streamed down his cheeks as his thoughts all circled around one phrase...

_'What happened...?'_

**That's easy: You happened. **

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, trying to voice out his confusion, but no words came. The voice behind him chuckled, a dark rumble that reverberated around the empty space. The man motioned downwards and Naruto followed his gaze... His hands were coated in blood, so much _blood_. His body shook once more as the realization dawned on him and knocked him senseless.

He had done this. Naruto had killed his own friends...

After that Naruto had jolted awake. The first thing he did after he woke up was dive for his Holo-pad so he could send off a quick text to Sasuke. His raven always seemed to be awake in the dead of night, something Naruto had scolded him about over and over again but to no avail. Now, however, Naruto was rather glad for that tiny quirk of Sasuke's because he _really _needed to talk to him.

_KyuubiKid _(Yes, Naruto made his screen name that purposefully): _bad dream. Need 2 talk._

One minute... three minutes... ten minutes passed and _still _no reply. _'Fuck it.' _Naruto chucked his Halo-pad onto his bedside bench. The _one _night Naruto wanted to talk to his boyfriend about something important and the freaking prick couldn't even reply! Kicking off his covers, Naruto decided that if he couldn't vent to Sasuke, his father would be the next one in line. Stepping out of his bedroom Naruto took the familiar path down the hallway to his father's room. With each step he took the blonde felt a weird sense of foreboding pool in his gut. Something was definitely... off.

_'What is this feeling?' _it made him want to turn around and get the hell out of the castle. Just run away as far and as fast as he could... but _why_? _'It's just the nerves from my dreams. Yeah, that's it!' _that was a logical explanation, right? Right. Whatever it took to keep on walking through the hallway.

When he finally reached his father's room he was surprised to see so many guards standing outside the door... but no sign of his father anywhere.

"Hey guys..." he yawned, waving lazily at the men who seemed to stiffen at the sound of his voice. "Umm... what's going on here? Did I sleep through another fire again? Haha..." Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously, waiting for someone to snap at him for being an idiot... again. Such a thing never came though. And that sinking feeling in his stomach only grew deeper...

Iruka stepped out of the throng of people, his body silently shaking and a shadow across his face. He looked up at Naruto with distraught eyes, almost surprised to see the teen there in the flesh, and wiped away the tears that were straying his face. "Ah... Naruto, you're awake I see. Did we wake you?"

"Uh... No not really..." Naruto tried to peer over his teacher's shoulder for a better of view of what exactly was going on but was blocked. "Why were you crying just now? And... where's Dad?"

Iruka paused for a moment, tears threatening to spill once more. Naruto saw the hesitation and instantly brushed passed his teachers, bursting into his father's room at lightening speeds.

Blood, everywhere; caking the walls, the floor... His eyes were wide in horror as he saw Pein's form crumpled over another body... A body he was very familiar with...

"No..." he whispered. All the strength left his legs and his knees crumbled to the floor. Naruto kept shaking his head back and forth, willing the nightmare to just _end _already. But this was real. It was _all _real. As if possessed by some outside force, Naruto began to crawl. Slowly... ever-so-slowly... The closer he got, the louder Pein's sounds rang through his ears. He was crouched next to Pein, now, a shaking hand reaching out to gently push his friend away so he could see the damage himself...

Dead, blue eyes clashed with fearful blue eyes...

There was so much blood... Blood everywhere...

A scream ripped from Naruto's throat as an overwhelming sensation overtook him, and then all he saw was black.

* * *

><p>I'm a monster. I know. You may all now shoot me with missles.<p>

BUT I'LL DODGE THEM ALL MWAHAHAHAHAHA coughs-

Please do leave a review! I'd like to hear how well I'm doing and if I need to improve in anything. And really, I do love simple flattery as well, but who doesn't love flattery? ;).

Till next time :D Probably in the next two weeks depending on how hellhoundish my teachers want to be.


	17. Decay

Is that an update I see? Very sorry this took so long, guys v.v. School has literally ruined my writing time, but I've come up with the plan to update one story a week. So this week you get a chapter of Eclipse (: Sorry for such a long wait! And yes, I know that some of you guys are probably wondering: "Fallen! Why did you make Minato die so crappily?" Well, I have a reason for everything. No worries. I think you'll like how this turns out (;

Oh, also. Anyone here has a gaia? ;) You should add me then. **Possible Insanity. **

**Warning: Angst, drama, minor action, and yeah, my insanity. Could be a few spelling errors v.v.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto sadly. I could dream though. But then I wouldn't have my lovely fanfiction.**

Enjoy! :D

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><p><strong>Chapter Seventeen: Decay<strong>

"_One day... everything just started to fall apart."-Sasuke Uchiha, age 18._

Crouched behind a huge piece of debris, Sasuke clutched his bleeding left arm with a scowl marring on his face. Of course a perfectly normal day had to spiral into _this_. Whatever the hell _this_ was.

Destruction. Chaos. An apocalyptic explosion—yeah, those were a few good words to sum it up. Though they did nothing but further deepen Sasuke's scowl. His eyes landed on a few body parts. A ripped off arm possibly belonging to a relatively young man. Legs that belonged to a woman. And Jesus... was that a baby's... Sasuke resisted the heavy urge to heave his lunch right there and then.

_'Stay calm,'_ he ordered himself. It's so hard to stay calm in a dire situation with disturbing and morose body parts surrounding you, Sasuke still liked to maintain at least some stability before absolutely snapping.

First things first. How the hell did we get _here_? Shall we backtrack a little? Say, five hours ago?

Five hours ago, our raven prince was forced into a chair as his father prattled and prodded all about the wonderful world of marriage. Riveting, is it not?

"I'm telling you, Sasuke! Once you're married the whole world will look like roses and rainbows!" Fugaku purposefully forgot to mention that every rose has a bundle of thorns and rainbows only appear after a terrible downpour... Sasuke could see right through his father's tomfoolery, however, and simply nodded along if only to humor his father. It was rather simple to do. "Not only that! But marriage between two rather, powerful, entities can not only double, but possibly triple, a countries power in means of military, sorcery, and human connections!" he was right in Sasuke's face now, a rather manic smile spray painted on his face. "Isn't marriage wonderful?"

"No," Sasuke replied calmly, eyes not even looking at his father but rather at his Holo-pad replying to Naruto's message. Something to do with ramen and it had a smiley face... It was a really cute one too, you know the one. The one with the colon and then the number three after it... yeah, that one. "Sounds restricting."

His father guffawed, taken aback that his youngest son would so... so... _bluntly_ tell him no! Right to his face, no less! At least Itachi had the common sense to stare his father right in the eyes, deny him, and then walk away when Fugaku had brought up the subject of marriage to him. _'Condoms, I'll never forget to put one on again.' _he couldn't handle another painfully honest, stubborn child for the life of him.

"Marriage is a beautiful thing!" Fugaku argued.

Ping; a message from Naruto. Swift fingers flying over the touch pad. A snicker passing through Sasuke's lips as a smile slipped through.

"Uh huh," Sasuke nodded. Eyes reading over yet another text message; damn these kids were speedy. "Says the guy who's always screaming at midnight whenever Mom doesn't do something you approve."

Ouch, Sasuke. Low blow, but one point earned for you. Fugaku bristled, cheeks turning a bright red as the embarrassment of his lack of... shame, so to speak, was not lost on his child. "Now you know as much as I do that your mother takes unreasonably long, _hot _showers!"

"Only when you piss her off..." the words were mumbled, but Fugaku caught onto them loud and clear. Hook, line, and sinker, Sasuke smirked.

A few more arguments were thrown and bounced around the room. Fugaku was always the animated one while Sasuke was allowing the words to go through one ear and out the other. Sure, what his father was saying was rather important, on some level. Marriage was, more or less, used to solidify power and amplify it whenever the King felt like his own country was slipping. And maybe, years ago, Sasuke would have taken his father's words to earnest, but right now he couldn't care about slipping a ring on some woman's finger even if he tried. The only person he needed, was Naruto. The only person he cared for, was Naruto. As long as Naruto was happy, Sasuke was happy. That's what Love did, he supposed.

Love. That word. The word he thought he wouldn't say only because he didn't _care _for it. Sasuke scoffed inwardly as a wry smile pulled his lips, he certainly did care for it. Quite a bit. Only because there was someone else out there that was worthy of his love, that he was worthy _to_ love. His heart soared a little just _thinking _about Naruto. When Naruto was right beside him, in the flesh—which he would be in two more days—Sasuke knew his heart would threaten to jump out of his chest to attach itself to Naruto. Kinda disgusting if you really thought about it...

Fugaku threw his hands up in the air out of extreme agitation and proceeded to stomp out of the room. "Fine! Ignore your old man, Sasuke! Just for that, you can forget about having dinner tonight!" threat soundly made, Fugaku exited the room with a loud _slam _following behind him.

Sasuke, four minutes later, looked up at his now fatherless room with a rather grim expression on his face. "Fuck, I'm missing Royal Geese night..." Ping! Ah, the morbid thought of not getting dinner was momentarily wiped away...

+Eclipse+

Sadly, Naruto couldn't talk to Sasuke for very long since he was going to Deidara's shop today—much to Sasuke's chagrin. He left Sasuke with a rather heartwarming message though.

_Yur such a bitch, but yur my bitch. So I guess I have to love you. Bye, Teme! _

Sasuke couldn't stop smiling for the next two hours and thirty five minutes that passed as he did random things around the castle. Sparred with Kakashi (the two had rarely had a moment to duke it out against one another for a while). Took a long nature walk with his mother, though Sasuke couldn't seem to concentrate on what his mother was talking about for too long. And then he retired to the living room to pass his time channel surfing on the giant Holo-screen his father installed for 'political' purposes.

Screw it. Sasuke was going to waste his damn time watching pointless, violent, anime. Just as he should.

Things were normal. You'd think that would be enough to tip someone off when the spike of magical energy surrounding the Luna Empire spiked considerably so. But since the cause of such an occurrence had controlled it to such a level that no one would notice, it had gone undetected. They weren't even tipped off when the shadowy foot of a demon crossed the boundary of the empire...

Blood lust pumping wildly through its veins.

+Eclipse+

The raven prince was lying on his bed, the few rays of a glorious sunset, reds, oranges, and golden yellows painting the sky, were slowly being overcome by the purples and blacks of night. Not that Sasuke minded. He rather liked the night. Comforting, dark... soothing. As part of the Luna Empire, he felt more energized and safe whenever the moon came out. It was just one of those things, he supposed.

And right now, he could use the moon now or never. Thirty minutes ago. He was supposed to get a text from Naruto thirty minutes ago—now thirty one minutes. And not one single message. Now, Sasuke was never the one to freak out because of a delayed text message, but that didn't go to say he wasn't worried. He waited five minutes before sending off a text of his own. He wanted the other twenty-six minutes waiting on a reply that never came.

Now he was worried. Naruto _always _replied to his messages within five minutes. Was he starting to get a little clingy and compulsive? Perhaps, maybe a little bit. But, as we all know, Love makes us humans do some very wild things...

Sasuke never had the chance to further his actions because his father had burst into the room. His face was etched with worry and... _fear_. Sasuke bolted straight up. The side comment on how unwelcome his father was if he started talking about marriage once again had died on his lips. Fear. It was something his father rarely ever let show on his face. Fear was a sign of weakness. Fear left your opponents with too many chances, too many openings, at your foundation. Fear could very well leave you for _dead_.

The fact that his father was showing such an emotion he had time and time again stated was a useless emotion to the Uchiha clan could only mean one thing...

"Horrible..." his father sputtered, face as white as a ghost. "Itachi... missing..."

All Hell broke loose after that.

+Eclipse+

Now we come back to the very beginning of this segment with Sasuke crouched behind a large boulder, hiding out from a humongous demon that was on the prowl with a bleeding arm. Oh yeah. Things were just going peachy for the raven prince right now.

"Damn it." he cursed, eyes scanning the surrounding area for any signs of the demon who nearly ripped off his arm not too long ago. Son of a bitch _still _hurt. "How the hell did a _demon _get in here? Our anti-demon shields should have diverted him from anywhere near our city." Demons, beings that were foully corrupted by Evil. They were dipped into the heavy paint of absolute destruction, coming out entirely _black_. There was no salvation for a demon. Once you turned, you stayed. The door to redemption was shut, bolted, and burned.

Destruction always followed Demons, and it seemed that the Luna Empire was no exception to the fact. As mentioned earlier, body parts littered the ground. Blood stained the streets. Ruin was... everywhere.

"Fuck," Sasuke hissed as he heard the sounds of humans nearby. His Sharingan was fully activated, so he was able to tell apart friend and foe. These voices? Most definitely foe. But they were too far away to notice him, and he was heavily concealing his aura with the thanks of his Sharingan. The use of such an ability was heavily taxing though...

Plan... plan, that's what Sasuke needed. A well-thought out, or in this situation at least doable, plan to get him out of this mess and find someone who could tell him just what the fuck happened in the span of one hour. Breathe... just breathe... His legs were wobbly and protesting as Sasuke pushed himself to to stand, though he bent over slightly so he was still hidden from view. Demons were lurking everywhere, and his blood would be the surest thing that drew them to him for a feast.

Fortunately, though Sasuke felt his stomach twist and knot a little, he was able to pull of a stray piece of fabric—probably someone's shirtsleeve—off a decapitated arm and used it as a make-shift bandage, wrapping it tightly around his wound. Not the most sanitary way to go about things but... it worked.

_'Now I need human contact.' _he looked at the bloodied arm on the ground and grimaced. _'Preferably alive...'_

Here was his plan: Step one, find help. After he found help, he would shake the info he needed right out of them so he could further develop his plan. Steps three and four were along the lines of gathering a small group of warriors to storm back into the castle his father had kicked him out prior to the invasion. It wasn't the _best _plan in the world, but it was something. It gave Sasuke at least a few things to work with, which was better than nothing.

All he needed to do was to avoid demon...

"Human!" obviously Life wasn't about to let Sasuke off the hook anytime soon. The demon was the color of blood—dark with brown blotches all over its body. It was _huge_. About the size of house in the middle class area of the empire. Weedy hair fell like grass clumps on its head and its eyes were simply empty holes. Sasuke could see the demon's muscles bulge, pulsate, probably itching for a kill... Or, in this case, one _more _kill. Luckily—if you wanted to see it that way—the demon had yet to spot Sasuke seeing as he had ducked into cramped alley before the demon arrived.

That didn't mean the demon couldn't _sense _him though.

_'I'm wearing out...' _Sasuke cursed inwardly. No wonder the demon could sense him, his aura was probably beginning to blaze after being repressed so long under the Sharingan. The wound on his and the overall stress of the situation was rapidly depleting his energy... Great. Just freaking great; that's exactly what he needed.

"Gotta get out of here..." stumbling through the narrow crevice, Sasuke held his breath every time his knees bucked against or scraped past brick. He didn't dare to make a sound. The presence of the demon was growing stronger and stronger, but Sasuke just kept on moving... if he made it through the crevice, he'd reach the Second Inner Circle, a group of buildings and homes where the empire's generals stayed. The area was the closet Circle surrounding to the castle. So if Sasuke could, hopefully, find someone like Kakashi they could possibly storm the castle and regain control once more. It was a _long _shot, to say the least, but it was something to keep Sasuke motivated forward...

"Almost there..."

A crack of light was seeping through...

"Almost..."

The light was suddenly yanked away from him as Sasuke was pulled out of the crevice by a huge, muscular hand that could probably snap of his non-wounded arm like a twig. Sasuke screamed, the sound ripping itself out of his throat as he was forcibly removed and flung onto the ground. His back connected hard with the concrete, blood coughed up from his mouth as his eyes shot open. Pain. Everywhere. Pain danced up his spine, surrounding his body in a suffocating blanket.

"Human dies!" the demon cracked its obese knuckles. The sound was absolutely sickening.

Sasuke's head was throbbing painfully. Every inch of his body ached. His wound was probably deeper and bleeding through his makeshift bandage. He winced attempting to get up. _'Cracked ribs,_' he guessed as he tried to twist his stomach to the left ever so slightly, biting back a hiss of pain. Yes, definitely cracked.

"Demons... I guess the rumors about you things being idiots were true." grunting, Sasuke slowly eased him self up into what, he hoped was, a defensive position in case the demon decided to attack. Of course, he couldn't resist making a few taunts at the bulking mass of Evil before him. That was just how he rolled. Sasuke smirked, hoping it didn't radiate how drained he felt right now. "All you're good at is muscle power. And even that isn't noteworthy."

The demon visibly bristled, and Sasuke vaguely wondered if he had actually poked a nerve with that last comment. Before Sasuke could even blink the demon had attacked, slamming it's bulking fists right into the ground. The Earth cracked and split in half. Tremors rocked across the area. Luck was barely clinging onto Sasuke's side as he barely missed the attack by jumping out of the way. His landing was rather sloppy, toes skidding across the cracked ground, his body wavering every so slightly as he tried to steady himself.

"Human no cocky now!" the demon roared, it's humongous belly jiggling with every fit of laughter.

Sasuke was in no condition to fight. But in this situation, it was either his _life _or face death by the hands of some hideous beast.

_'A weapon would be wonderful right now.' _His eyes, sadly, landed on nothing that could even be used to poke the monster. And the demon didn't seem like it was going to stop its attacks anytime soon. Punch after punch was aimed for the wounded prince, and more and more Sasuke found himself evading the beast's attacks. At one point, he had tried to retaliate himself. The demon had tried to make a go for his ankles in hopes to bring him down. Sasuke had successfully jumped out of the attack and landed on the demon's arm where he ran up to his shoulder, executing a side kick that would have probably snapped a normal human's neck.

The demon barely even flinched.

"Pesky human!" the demon trashed as it tried to swat Sasuke off its shoulder, but the raven prince was too quick and—not without a little effort—jumped off the beast's shoulder and landed a hard kick on his back before he jumped out of the way to strengthen the distance between them.

The demon didn't even topple over. It swayed. However, it only looked more annoyed rather than injured.

_'Great,' _Sasuke inwardly hissed. _'Now he'll _really _want to kill me.' _his afflictions were constantly reminding him how quickly he needed to end this battle lest he'd end up just like all the other victims scattered around. Calming his accelerated heart rate, Sasuke called on his Sharingan. Power immediately flooded his veins, replacing the pain of his wounds if only for a moment. For a brief second Sasuke felt powerful. Like he could kick that demon's ass all the way back to the Trenches! But he knew this euphoria would only last for a little bit of time before his Sharingan started to tax his body too...

"All or nothing." Sasuke whispered to himself as the monster charged towards him. He didn't have a weapon, but Sasuke wasn't too concerned. After all, he considered his own body a weapon. It was all a matter of when his body would give out that raised issues.

A perfect front flip over the demon's head landed Sasuke right behind the demon once more. Sadly, the ground where he was once standing had to face a terrible blow from the demon's fists. Veins ruptured on the earth. The wails of the ground being ripped apart by the fierce brutality echoed through Sasuke's ears. He winced. That could have been him.

"Human no smash?" the demon, which Sasuke vaguely thought resembled an Ogre looked around. Confused as to where his prey had gone to.

"Nope." Sasuke quipped, hoping he sounded rather cocky. "Not sorry to say that your aim is _horrible_, though."

"H-Horri... My aim good!" Ah, so the Ogre can't say three-syllable words either. Funny.

"Right." Sasuke scoffed, channeling all of his energy towards his legs so if, and when, the monster attacked he'd be ready to jump into the air again. "That's why you weren't able to hit me the last time. Or the time before that. Face it, you're just a reject your clan probably couldn't _wait _to throw out."

Oh, that last comment did the trick if Sasuke wanted to piss the Ogre off. You could literally see the maddening vein pulse and and bulge on the creature's forehead. Once more Sasuke was starting to question if the throbbing pain attacking various parts of his body was supplying his sudden insanity.

_'Shit... the world's looking fuzzy.'_

The monster roared hellishly, charging at Sasuke like a psychotic bull. Fists and roars, snarls and hammering forearms came at Sasuke faster than he could dodge them. A few of them were lucky and hit him in the stomach—blood choking out his mouth from the impact—while others barely scraped his sides or head. It took more energy to dodge and keep up with the Ogre than Sasuke could handle. His breath was rather labored, and the world was meshing into colors, swirling together to almost make black, but he _had _to stay awake. Passing out now meant death. And, well, Naruto wouldn't be pretty happy if he died so suddenly.

_'Naruto...' _just the name made all the blurring lines and dizzying colors recede. Naruto was his strength. The source of his energy. And with every memory of moments shared with his wonderful blonde, Sasuke found the power and momentum to full his kicks, to evade the Ogres punches, and to land a solid blow to the side of the Ogre's head.

The demon roared in anguish and Sasuke couldn't help but smirk tiredly. That kick wouldn't be enough. He wasn't stupid. But it would be enough too—

"What?" grabbed by the ankle, Sasuke felt like the world was literally ripped from underneath his feet as the demon caught him off guard. Okay, so the beast was a tad smarter than he looked. Only a tad, though.

"Human dies now!" Sasuke didn't know what was worse: being caught in a steel-cage grip by the beast, or having to listen to its horrible grammar all the time.

"Trust me! Your grammar is already killing me!" twisting in his grip, Sasuke tried to kick the monster's hand from off his ankle with his free foot until the Ogre squeezed particularly hard.

"Ugh!" Sasuke bit back the curses and screams that wanted to rip themselves out of his mouth. Damn it this beast had incredible strength.

"No me smash Human!"

The beast flung Sasuke around like a rag doll, laughing hysterically whenever he heard scream after strangled scream escape his prey's mouth. Sinful music to the demented ears.

_'Hurts... Naruto... Pain... Gonna die...' _his thoughts were unraveling strings that failed to tie in to one another. A lot of things were flashing through Sasuke's mind as pain after pain rocketed up and down his spine. For one, he was trying to come to terms that if no one found him soon, he was going to die. And two... he _really _wished he could see Naruto right now. That this day never turned out so bad. He'd do anything to talk to Naruto right now. To see his blonde's smile. To get lost in his blonde's eyes. He also wished he could see his brother one more time and _demand _to know why he ran off or "disappeared" as his father claimed.

What Sasuke hated the most, was never being able to see something coming. He hated surprises, because most of the time they were _horrible _surprises. Not being able to even _notice _that something like this was going to happen made Sasuke's stomach turn and his thoughts go all haywire. Sick certainty that his last few minutes on earth were probably going to be spent as the Ogre's punching bag was not pleasant,to say the least.

Lines of reality were blurring...

The sound of the Ogre's laughter was ringing his Sasuke's ears...

Pain was everywhere, surrounding him as if he had fully submerged under the ocean...

Colors blended and mixed, slowly creeping into black...

"Lightning blade!"

Electricity crackled in the air, and for just a moment Sasuke felt the pain sluggishly dull. Or, rather, instead of repeated slams against the ground, Sasuke felt himself suspended in the air. _'What just happened...?'_ Forcing his eyes opened, the world was still blurry, but he could make out the Ogre that was still keeping his ankle captive... with a hole through it's stomach.

_'Weird... That wasn't there before... Who...?' _

"I was rather surprised to see you be treated as some throwing doll, Sasuke. An Ogre of this size and stupidity should have been a piece of cake for you." a tone that was completely casual but all the more hiding a heavy undertone of mocking floated through Sasuke's ears. Scowling slightly, Sasuke didn't know whether to be elated for the help or pissed that the _one _person who saved him had to have a sick tendency for picking fun at him...

"Kakashi..." the voice was hissed, but in the end Sasuke decided to be grateful that his old mentor had saved him from death.

"In the flesh." Kakashi replied with an easy going smile. His visible eye casually studied the Ogre he had just punched through the gut with his lightning blade. _'Hm, pretty big whole this time.' _he flexed his fingers, still feeling the electricity of his aura tingling around them. _'I get better and better...' _Kakashi looked back at his dangling pupil who was clearly looking at him in a mix of agitation and wondering as to when he'd help him get down. "Yes?" innocence was clearly baked in his words.

"_Well_?" Sasuke threw a pointed glare Kakashi's way. "I don't find the feel of blood rushing to my head rather comfortable."

"Funny. I was just wondering how long you would hold on to consciousness before passing out." the man shrugged, "I put a bet on around five more minutes until the pain of your, might I say, extensive wounds and the blood rushing to your head at an accelerated rate knocks you out." Kakashi smirked languidly as Sasuke scowled at him. Oh how he loved to push the kid's buttons until they popped. "Am I right?"

"Just let me down already!" Sasuke spat out, attempting to wriggle out of the grip himself. A wave of dizziness crashed over him, instantly halting his actions. The boy groaned.

Kakashi sighed as if helping out was extremely tedious and walked over to the dangling movement. With movements so swift not even Sasuke could catch up to him, Kakashi had the boy out of the monster's grip and cradled in his arms in a matter of seconds.

"The wounds are worse than I thought..." he mumbled, raking his eyes over to the boy's crumpled form. He hadn't expected to run into Sasuke like this, out in the open when demons were lurking about. Kakashi thought the boy was going to do the rational thing and seek shelter before seeking out help._ 'Apparently I was wrong to assume that.' _the man sighed as the teen finally decided that right now was okay to pass out on him and shifted Sasuke in his arms. "That demon took more out of him than he realized. Though I am impressed he had held out for so long."

You see, Kakashi had only stumbled in on the last few minutes of the fight before he intervened. He too, was trying to piece together the haggard facts over what happened, how it happened, and just who the hell was responsible for the rapid decay of the Luna Empire. _'Itachi's gone missing as well. Suspicions tell me that Itachi could be a link to this but... I know that boy. He puts his loyalty to his family first. He wouldn't do something like this.' _

Something was scratching at his brain repeatedly for him to rethink that thought...

"The sun's about to set..." Kakashi turned his gaze unto the Ogre he had just killed. His nose crinkled from the foul odor of Death and Evil intermixing into the air. The stench had been following him a lot today. Five Ogres in total he had killed with either his Lighting Blade or another aura-utilized technique. He felt incredibly taxed, but he knew more would keep coming. Not just Ogres, though, other foul and hideous creatures would come slinking into the kingdom with the invasion force. So far, the remaining Sorcerers had put a spell of protection around the castle and First Inner Circle, though when they tried to tinker with the spell surrounding the Empire they found there was just too many holes to stitch up the barrier with.. So everyone was moved to the First Inner Circle, an area where in case disaster strikes, would be of use for the citizens, and the castle.

Demons normally attacked at nightfall, or when the sky started to bleed red and purples as the poets would describe, so if Kakashi didn't back track to base soon he would be in more trouble than he bargained for. Once more shifting the unconscious raven prince in his arms, Kakashi broke off into the direction leading to the base where the generals, army men, medical teams, and Sorcerers who hadn't been gravely injured were residing.

Kakashi couldn't help but let out a sigh, "Funny how a normal day can end up so shitty."

+Eclipse+

"Is he waking up?"

"No, dipshit. His eye are still closed."

"That doesn't mean shit!"

"It means a lot of shit! Now shut the fuck up before you wake up the damn patient."

"Don't you fucking tell me what to do, you freakin' hick! I'll rip out your vocal chords."

"Guys," Kakashi held back every urge to _not _slap Temari and Kankuro over the head; they were seriously starting to great on the man's nerves. _'Just breathe, Kakashi. They're children compared to you. And senseless killing is beneath you.' _though Temari and Kankuro were dangerously pushing the envelope with how obnoxious they were being. "any louder and you'll wake up the _dead_. Why not leave Sasuke alone for a while and I'll tell inform you when he wakes up, all right?"

The siblings glanced at each other, then back at Kakashi before they both flashed impish grins that left Kakashi's blood cold. "Nah, sounds boring." the replied simultaneously.

"Besides," Temari propped her humongous fan—her weapon of choice—against her side and leaned against the wall casually, a bored expression marring her face and her arms crossed over her chest. "there's nothing better to do here anyways. The generals all have sticks so far up their ass I swear that's why they waddle and won't let us in on their 'top secret meeting'." she scowled slightly, "Extremely pisses me off, you know."

"Sis' got a point." Kankuro idly played with his puppet—his preferred weapon—instantly amused with how it bent and flowed along to his will. "No one wants us involved in anything. 'Don't touch this!', 'Don't do that!', 'You're opinion doesn't matter because you're only children'," each sentence was followed by his puppet's mouth mimicking the words, much the amusement of Temari and the irritation of Kakashi. "It's annoying. Since you guys forced us to be bored in the first place, you might as well give us some leeway and watch over the kid."

Kakashi rubbed his ever-throbbing temples in a soothing motion, counting backwards from ten to one in hopes that he wouldn't snap at the young, but highly skilled in their own rights, adults that had holed themselves in his appointed room. Not only was he aggravated that they had _yet _to take the hint that they were not needed, they were always being obnoxious and Sasuke didn't really need that right now.

"Temari, Kankuro, I'm only going to say this once so listen closely. Get. Out. All right?"

"And, like we said before, we're not leaving so you might as well suck it up, Kakashi." Kankuro shot right back. Kakashi glared at the boy who grinned back rather innocently.

_'Brats...'_

A low groan brought the three out of their engaging conversation. All eyes were turned on the raven prince that was squirming in the cot, incoherent words being mumbled. On the edge, Kakashi, Temari, and Kankuro waited on what seemed to be pins and needles as Sasuke slowly came back into the realm of the living.

"W-Where... am I?" Sasuke felt like someone had poured acid down his throat. Flames seemed to be erupting everywhere all over his body while the ringing aftermath of pain spouted here and there. He had no idea where he was, but figured he was somewhere safe seeing as his back was plastered to the ground right now. Good sign. Using more energy than he thought he would need, Sasuke craned his neck to stare at his mentor sitting on a chair beside his bed, looking oddly relieved. "K-Kakashi...?"

Then another name attacked him hard.

"Naruto!" he screamed, bolting straight up at of bed despite the protestations of Kakashi or his body. "Naruto... where...? I'm..." he tried to steady his erratic breathing, "I'm not dead... am I?"

"Does it look like you're dead?" Kankuro replied sarcastically. He laughed at the weak glare he got from the Uchiha. "Ah, I've always wanted to see the rumored Uchiha death glare! Glad to know it's all hype—Ow! Temari, you bitch! Why'd you fucking hit me?" the brunette rubbed his abused head and shot a glare to his smug looking sister.

"Idiots should remain quiet at _all _times." she huffed. Turning her attention back on the confused and wounded raven, she smiled softly—something Kakashi was rather surprised to see—and made her way over to check on his bandages. "Sorry about that. My brother's brain rarely functions properly."

"Oi!"

"Ignore him," Temari stated calmly, her smiling growing a little brighter as her ears picked up on the quiet scoff Sasuke made. "How are you feeling?"

"Like hell," Sasuke replied bluntly.

"Makes sense. You came in with a hell of a lot of bruises. I'm surprised I even found a pulse when Kakashi brought you in. Hinata, that's the girl who tended your wounds, she wasn't too sure you'd make it." Temari ruffled the boy's hair, knowing all too well by the hand swatting at her that she had probably broached a boundary; oh well. "Glad to see you proved her wrong."

Sasuke nodded slowly, his hand coming up to absentmindedly fix the hair that was moved out of place. On closer inspection of his own body, he noticed that his left arm was nicely bandaged, his chest was wrapped tightly in white, and there was a small cast enclosing his ankle.

"She might as well have put me in a full body cast," he muttered, though Temari caught the comment and chuckled.

"If you're well enough to make comments such at that, then I suppose you'll be up to try and stomach some food?" Kakashi suggested. "After that we can try and cover up the gaps and holes together about what happened."

The raven prince nodded, his stomach voicing its obvious agreement to Kakashi's idea. Kankuro snickered. Temari chuckled. Kakashi smirked. And, well, Sasuke stuck to his ever-popular scowl.

+Eclipse+

"So it's true... Itachi really has gone missing." there was a certain tone of... desperate finality that lingered on Temari's words as the four threw in their own accounts and details of today. Kakashi had filled in the parts about the start of the invasion. The barrier had broken down and Ogre demons from the Trenches had started to reek havoc on the Outer Circles of the Empire. In the span of three hours around two thousand innocent people had been killed, maimed, and disfigured. Kankuro and Temari had filled in their own experiences. They were doing some recon in the outer woods when Temari sensed a sudden change in the air presence. The air was polluted with evil and foreboding that immediately led Temari and Kankuro back into the empire... only to walk in on utter decay. Sasuke had filled in most of what he knew, which wasn't much. His father had ran in. Exclaimed that Itachi was missing. And then afterwords kicked him out of the castle and telling him to run... run far away...

"Seems like it," Kakashi's tone was completely dead, he provided no sign of what emotions were tumbling underneath his mask.

Sasuke's stomach clenched horribly as the realization settled in. Itachi's behavior had been rather... _weird _a few weeks before all Hell broke loose. Was this some sort of warning he had overlooked? Was Itachi's strange behavior because he was planning to suddenly leave on the day of the attack? _'No. My brother wouldn't do that. He has too much honor. Too much pride. He'd never turn his back on us... on me...'_

His stomach clenched tighter.

"What about the Soleil Kingdom?" Sasuke asked, his mind turning it's direction onto his sun; Naruto. If the Luna Empire was experiencing such a crisis, he didn't want to think about what was going on in the neighboring country. "Any word on what they're dealing with?"

Kankuro shook his head slowly. "We haven't been able to make any contact with Soleil so far. Bastards... this is probably they're doing! I never liked that country."

Sasuke gripped onto the bedsheets tightly. "Don't say that. Soleil is a great country in its own right and would they would never do something like that."

"Oh really?" Kankuro challenged. "How would you know? Sure you're buddy buddy with that blonde prince but haven't you heard the rumors? Word says that the council of Soleil and possibly the king were stirring up trouble and adding fuel to the fire of the already erratic rebels." the brunette's hardened ever so slightly at his next words, "We were enemies with them once. What makes you say they wouldn't turn on us again?"

Kankuro's words left a heavy silence in its wake. Everyone was tense. All of them having their own thoughts and opinions to say on the matter. Sasuke was the one to break the silence.

"I know they won't turn on us. I know because... there's a bond between us. And it's a very strong bond. All these years won't be wasted for nothing... I know it." Kakashi passed a questioning glance towards Sasuke's way, watching how Sasuke's voice never faltered. It was steady and true. As if he weren't just referring to the treaty between Soleil and the Luna Empire, but also...

Kakashi smirked inwardly. _'You're too easy to figure out.' _

Temari sat against the wall rather shocked, though didn't share what was on her mind. She'd let Kankuro do all the speaking for now.

Said person simply stared at Sasuke wide-eyed, wondering when that kid's hard glance was ever going to falter. Seeing absolutely determination and surety that in Sasuke's eyes that he was one-hundred percent right, Kankuro shook his head sadly and scoffed.

"Idiot."

Just then, the door to Kakashi's room flew open and in ran a guard. His expression was one that left Sasuke, Temari, Kankuro, and Kakashi standing on end wondering what news he had to share...

"Terrible... Something terrible... in Soleil!" he croaked, finding it harder and harder to form the words.

"Spit it out, man!" Kankuro snapped. "What the hell happened in Soleil?"

The guard took deep, calming breaths, though his heart beat was accelerating rapidly each second. "K-King Minato has been reported dead after we were finally able to make connection with Soleil. A-And... Prince Naruto... has turned."

Sasuke felt his heart literally stop beating. Frozen by fear. Frozen by shock. Frozen by the words that pierced his skin like knives. _'Naruto? Turned? What?' _Those words made no sense. No. Sasuke just didn't _want _those words to make sense.

Kakashi was the one to speak up on Sasuke's behalf, placing a comfortable hand on the boy's shoulder. "What exactly do you mean that Naruto has... turned?"

"The Kyuubi..." the guard answered with a grim face. "It's been unleashed."

* * *

><p>Oh my! And I just keep on throwing out shit... So? Has Itachi truly gone to the dark side? Is Naruto reeking havoc as we speak? Only next chapter will we know!<p>

Leave a review on your way out, please. (: I would love to read your thoughts and opinions my story so far.

Till next time!


	18. Comfort

Sorry, this is short and extremely delayed. I also apologize for the slow moving plot, but I will get to the thick of things eventually. If you could stick with me till then, I would love that C: I was thinking of deleting this story and working on it, and it's still in my mind, but for now you get this.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Just my hopes, dreams, aspirations, and my fuzzy blue socks.**

**Warning: Ummah... simple filler. I was going to go over some Naruto rampage but I decided against it. Sorry.**

Enjoy.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seventeen: Comfort<strong>

"_The beast's unleashed. I don't know myself anymore. It's like my soul's been burned away. Dad... why did you have to die?"—Naruto Uzumaki, age 17. _

He was trapped. Chained to a wall in a cell at least three hundred feet below the ground. Underneath the castle, to be exact. In this state, Naruto really couldn't think rationally. All he wanted was blood. Particularly the blood of the person who had killed his father. Before the city began to crumple and fray into chaos, there was a funeral. The images bombarded the demon prince over and over again as he snarled at snapped at the magic keeping him sealed.

It was raining. The heaven's were crying. Minato's body was being lead deep into the chamber where all the past kings were laid to rest. Naruto wanted to go there, to be with his father. Pein held him back, though.

"Let me go!" he snarled, his fingernails a little sharper than normal. His whiskers were a shade thicker than usual, as well. "Dad! Dad! Don't go... Dad!"

Music filled the air, a song of mourning. The citizens all had their fare share of glances towards the blonde prince. Some were drenched in pity others were a cold indifference. A few citizens could see passed the beast, like Konohamaru, Sarutobi, Deidara, and even Kiba... Kiba stood in the far back with his group of friends. They were all silent, but Kiba more so. His eyebrows were crunched and his heart ached silently watching the prince flail and sink even deeper into desperation. He could sympathize with the prince. It was hard to lose a love one, especially someone so close as a father.

"They should really put a leash on that guy," a lanky and snot-dripping teen snorted, along with the rest of the group—minus Kiba.

A punch was the retort that kid got, followed by landing harshly on the ground.

"Ouch... What the fuck was that for, Kiba!"

"Shut up," Kiba's eyes narrowed dangerously at the boy instantly shut it. "If you're going to run that damn trap of yours then fucking get out! We're at the King's funeral for God's sake. Show some respect."

No one wanted to be at the end of Kiba's brute strength, so they all calmly watched as more words were spoken, more tears were shed, and the funeral dragged on...

Kiba's eyes never watched the blonde, though. His heart ached dully watching the life sap out of the blonde teen. He was just a shell now. A shell of a boy who would, sooner than anyone realized, would have to take over the crown, the title, of a kingdom threatening to implode. Before, Kiba would have inwardly sneered at the idea of a demon-becoming king. But now, his sympathy was winning... along with a memory...

Before Kiba had the chance to talk to the blonde prince, chaos descended, and Naruto had finally snapped.

+Eclipse+

_**'He's dead, Kit. Get over it already and fucking get out of here! I'm itching to spill some blood.' **_

**'Shut****up,****you****damn****fox.'**Crouched in the cell, chained by the neck, Naruto's new tail whipped around viciously. The red chakra that had once consumed his body earlier that day was now gone thanks to the restraining magic placed around the cell. All the evidence left on his body showing that the Kyuubi was still unlocked was Naruto's new tail, a pair of orange ears, darker whiskers, and blood-red eyes.

The transformation was brought forth from the anger, and a deep, numbing pain. Naruto still couldn't fathom a world where his father was dead. He couldn't accept his father had gone down that _easily.__'He's__the__freaking__king__and__he__was__killed__so__easily!'_Naruto's nails scraped at the cold floor. They left gashes. _'Why__did__you__leave__me__and__Pein,__Dad?__Do__you__know__how__many__people__have__lost__faith__in__our__family?'_

He realized now, that he was finding a lot of things to be mad out. They way his father died so easily. Pein's emotionless face during the funeral. Everyone pities gaze. The person who killed his father. He wanted to take them all down. He wanted to go into that wretched tomb, pull his father's body out, and shake it around until he came back to life. Then, he would find Pein and beat him to a bloody pulp until that emotion-void mask disappeared. He'd rip away at everyone who gave him pity after they spent their whole lives excluding him. And then, then he'd go out and find his father's murder. Rip out their vocal chords, and tear their body to pieces.

As you can see, Naruto wasn't thinking very rationally.

"I've seen some wild temper tantrums in my life, but this takes the case." Pein said, as if Naruto needed to see _him_right now.

_**'Kill him! Do it! You know you want to, Kit. His blood would look so pretty on your nails.'**_

**'Didn't I tell you to shut up, you damn fox?' **

Naruto snarled. "What do _you_ want?"

Pein regarded the demon prince coolly, folding his arms across his chest. "I would like you to stop acting like a child and grow up, Naruto."

The blonde bristled. His tail whipped around violently once more. That had struck hard, and deep. "You don't understand a damn thing, you emotionless prick! My father's dead! Your _l__over_is now gathering up cobwebs in some fucking tomb! And you want me to stop acting like a child?"

"Pretty much, yes."

It was hard to hold back the urge to lunge at Pein and rip out his heart. So hard... but pleasant to think about.

Pein walked to the bars and knelt down, completely impassive as Naruto made a swipe for his face more than once, like an enraged tiger. "Naruto, I want you to listen to me. You are not thinking rationally. The bloodlust from the Kyuubi is driving your thoughts into a spiral of destruction."

"No I'm not! Shut up before I fucking rip out your throat."

Pein rolled his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. "See what I'm saying? I know I seem indifferent to Minato's death but... I..." he swallowed, "He wouldn't want to see us like this. _You_, his son and heir, trapped in some cage because you couldn't control that demon inside of you. And me, his lover, who "should be" in a crumpled heap grieving over his death. But I'm not, because I know Minato would have wanted me to take charge of the situation and prepare for the worst. And you, Naruto, need to clear your mind of all you rage and sadness so you'll be ready to take on the responsibility Minato left for you."

Naruto felt his anger evaporate slightly. His tail recoiled around him, shrinking as Pein's words started to set in. His stubbornness to accept the truth was finally wearing out... "He can't be gone..."

"I know," his whispered words hit with solid assurance.

The anger was melting, the sadness dripped, Naruto was calming down. "He can't be dead..."

"I know..."

Naruto looked up with teary blue eyes. He desperately wanted to break free from this cell, to have some human contact. He couldn't go through this earth-shattering revelation alone.

"I'm so scared..."

Pein's heart constricted horribly as he fished for the key that would unlock the cell doors. The key slid in effortlessly, the sound of metal breaking off floated through. As if by force, Pein and Naruto met. Pein had Naruto in an embrace, the sobbing blonde refusing to let the man go. Until the days of of true peace were to come, Naruto would have to become stronger. Pein would have to control his emotions. And two, greater beings, were finding it rather difficult to stay silent.

+Eclipse+

"Hm, I guess I owe you five bucks then. The kid didn't go beserk."

"Ha, told you, Mercy!" Grace jumped up and down, her brown curls bounced along with her. "Pay up!"

Mercy grumbled low under her breath. She fished out a wad of dollar bills and threw it at her sister. "There! Now stop jumping before we're spotted. We're supposed to be _watching_him, not drawing attention to ourselves."

"Oh don't get your undies in a bunch." Grace waved her hand flippantly, though her long, blue sleeves covered it. "No one can see us unless we want them too. So get that stick out of your butt and lighten up."

The redhead narrowed sea-green eyes, "Say 'ass' like normal people."

Purple eyes shot a glare right back, "No way! That's a dirty word. And I, for one, am not a dirty person."

"Coming from the whore that's rather unlikely..."

"Hey! If anyone here is spreading their legs more times then they bathe, it's you!"

"Girls, I do hope your bickering is in respect to your mission." the Guardian appeared before them, gold eyes flickering with curiosity and subtle rage.

Both Grace and Mercy exchanged glances and gulped.

The Guardian sighed, "Typical," shaking its head; it looked passed the two and stared directly at the Jinchuuriki prince clutched in the other human's arms. Such a blatant display of affection. "He has not gone on a rampage, I see."

"Yeah, it's kind of weird." Grace placed her arms behind her head and worried her bottom lip. "The Fates said he would have gone out and destroy the city by now. Then Orochimaru would come in, capture him, and extract the Kyuubi."

"Your nonchalance makes that sound like a _good_thing," Mercy rolled her eyes and folded her arms against her chest. "Honestly, I'm glad those windbags are wrong. This city doesn't deserve to be destroyed."

"It is a rarity, and a deep concern, that the Fates were mistaken." the Guardian's three tails merged into one tail surrounded by a golden halo. It's purple highlights deepened to a bleeding, darker color. Its blood pumped in calmed anxiety.

"Well they're getting pretty old," Mercy said. "Old age drive people pretty loony."

"But they're _never_wrong, Merc!" Grace defended. "You have to admit this is sort of scary. We won't know what's going to happen! How will we step in if we don't know when the right time is?"

"That's why we're watching the, right?" Mercy turned her attention to the Guardian who was still regarding the prince warily. "So we know when to step in and make ourselves known."

"You would be half right." Golden eyes skimmed over both girls before turning back to Naruto. "Tell me. Have you two noticed anything different with this lifetime than all the others?"

"Umm, besides the fact that Naru-chan looks a little shorter than usual?" Grace asked with a tilt of her head.

Mercy scoffed and hit her sister in the back of the head. "Excuse her. She's an idiot by nature." ignoring her sister's protests, Mercy continued. "I know what you mean, though. In this lifetime Naruto and Sasuke are _together_. That's a hell of a lot more progress then most of the others have had. Also, this prince is the carrier of the Kyuubi, which is also abnormal."

"Correct. I sense something sinister will befall upon those two."

The brunette shivered and hugged herself tightly. "I can feel it too. Chills my bones."

Mercy nodded as well, "We'll keep watch. Make sure Naruto doesn't get too out of hand... but who's watching the Uchiha?"

"I've taken watch over the Uchiha Prince." the Guardian answered. "His destiny is slowly starting to unfold. Sooner or later, the truth will slip out, and I must be there to intervene."

Mercy and Grace exchanged worried glances once more before the brunette spoke up.

"You know... I hope Naruto doesn't die this time. I always cry when that happens."

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><p>I've been dying to use Grace and Mercy... :3 So happy I've finally brought my OCs in.<p> 


	19. Unbreakable

Aduuuurrr, I had this chapter written out for MONTHS but just got around to uploading it now. I know. My laziness is my Achilles heels ; - ;

**Warning: Nothing but fluffy fluff~**

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><p><strong>Chapter Nineteen: Unbreakable<strong>

"_I don't care how. I don't care when. I just need to see Naruto. This separation is killing me."—Sasuke Uchiha, age 18._

Four days later and Sasuke was standing before the line that separated the outside world from the Soleil Kingdom. He never thought he would see this place again... but he has. Only under terrifying circumstances.

Kakashi came up to him and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Nervous?"

Sasuke peered at him from the corner of his eye, scoffing. "Not at all." his insides told a different story. His heartbeat was erratic, unsteady, unstable. His fingers curled, clenched, and tightened to grip onto something—preferably Naruto. _'Calm yourself, Uchiha.' _It was so much easier thought than said and done. The Kyuubi had apparently been unleashed and Itachi was missing. Everything Sasuke had the honor to call his world was breaking and crumbling and decaying all around him...

Kankuro kicked a stray pebble to the side and sniffed the air. "I don't smell any death around. That's a good sign."

Temari nodded and whipped out her fan. "Doesn't mean we should be any less cautious. Remember what the guard said? The prince went psycho. No telling what he could be up to right now."

The raven's heart clenched and twisted in unbearable places. "Naruto... he would never put anyone in danger. All this destruction," Sasuke walked up to the resting place of what used to be a small clothing store and brushed his hand over the bumps an scars of rubble, "it couldn't be at his hands."

"I don't know what to tell yah, Kid." Kankuro said. "From what I heard the Kyuubi's one reckless demon. If it did take over, I highly doubt the prince had any rationality left."

Sasuke bit his lower lip. Disbelief coursed through his system. No... Naruto couldn't have done all this. It had to be the same demons who attacked his country that came over to Soleil and caused destruction. Naruto couldn't even hurt a fly. But... if he really _was _under the Kyuubi's influence...

"I have to find him." without any warning Sasuke dashed off for the castle. Naruto would be there, probably teary-eyed over the destruction and furious at the bastards who wrecked his city. He'd be waiting there, and Sasuke would scoop him up into his arms, and they'd defeat the tyrant responsible for these attacks together.

Because that's how this is all supposed to end... right?

The others had finally caught up to the frantic, raven prince when he stopped right in front of the castle. Well, what was left of it. The whole right wing was obliterated, leaving an empty skeleton of what was once there in its wake. People were scattered here and there. Some trying to fix the damage, other people adding to the damage with their physical appearance; battered, bruised, and lost hope. Such a sight left everyone stunned beyond words.

_'Naruto... are you really the cause of all this?' _Sasuke gulped, silently switching over to his Sharingan in hopes of catching Naruto's aura. Nothing. Nothing but a dead, cold silence. It made Sasuke shiver.

Finally, Kankuro was the one to break the silence. "Demons these days. Crazy, bastards they are."

Kakashi and Temari both shot him looks. Kankuro raised his arms in defense.

"What? I so called this! The prince went psycho now half the city is in shambles and his castle is blown to bits—Ouch! Fuck, Temari! You didn't have to punch so hard!"

"Shut up!" Temari hissed and hit her brother again; harder. "Can't you see you're being a nuisance!" she turned to Sasuke with an apologetic smile on her face. "I'm sorry. Once again my brother's an idiot who can't keep his trap shut."

"I'm just stating the tru—Ouch! Stop punching me, you witch!"

Kakashi shook his head at the bickering siblings, _'Children,' _he glanced at Sasuke who still stood at the edge of the scene, probably chasing around disjointed thoughts in his head. "Sasu—"

"I'm going to look for him." Sasuke cut him off. Kakashi opened his mouth to say something again, but closed it and nodded.

"Be safe and don't do anything stupid."

The only response he got was a scoff before Sasuke disappeared to find his prince.

+Eclipse+

Blue eyes stared up at the cold, dripping ceiling lifelessly. Lifeless. It was a new word forever imprinted into the blond's vocabulary. Everything around him was lifeless. His last sliver of family was gone. His home was gone. His humanity... he could feel it slipping away with each breath the Kyuubi took inside of him. For now he was back to normal. And he praised God for this little piece of serenity he could enjoy. But he could feel Kyuubi's aura clashing with his own, addicted to the sense of freedom and yearning to obtain it again.

_'No...' _Naruto stopped the urge—barely. _'I can't let you go again. I can't. I... I don't want to disappoint Dad.' _

Pein's words had left a heavy scar on Naruto's heart. His father would be ashamed to see him like this, chained and caged like the animal he was meant to be... No. He wasn't meant to be this. He couldn't have. This wasn't his fate... was it?

His eyes started to flutter to a close, boredom mixed with exhaustion calling on their ally sleep, when he heart footsteps. His nose flared and his whiskers twitch—an added affect of Kyuubi's aura mixing with his blood. He knew the aura coming down the hallway. It was faint but... Naruto took a big whiff and shivered as euphoria danced through him.

"Sasuke..." he moaned.

The raven stopped in front of the only cell located in the hallway. Long, continuous minutes of running had led him to these iron bars that imprisoned his prince, his blond... his... love. Sasuke swallowed, taking shaky steps to grasp onto the iron bars. His eyes silently traveled and studied the nearly foreign body in front of him. Naruto's hair was unruly and spikier, jutting out at wild directions and angles. His eyes flickered from red, to blue, to red, to blue again in a matter of seconds. His whiskers were thicker. He could nearly see the blond's fangs threatening to pop out and tear skin, pierce, and make something _bleed_. And if he squinted and searched hard enough... he could see the beginnings of a tail forming in the darkness.

So it was all true...

"N-Naruto...?" Sasuke's mind flashed back to the destruction. The images of broken bodies with no ounce of hope. They were all linked back to Naruto... the literal beast trapped inside the cage. Sasuke's heart still didn't want to believe the facts... but they were right in front of his _eyes_.

The blond blinked. Stared... A smile crept lazily onto his face as his eyes fluttered a close and a soft whimper escaped his lips. "Sasuke..." he moaned.

Sasuke gulped again. "Are you... Are you okay?" He wanted to snap these bars in half and scoop Naruto in his arms, yet the blond's aura was menacing, terrifying. It wasn't the same. It was tainted and defiled. Sasuke knew the sense of an aura that was clearly dipped in a paint bucket of black. It was a familiar and unpleasant sensation. After all, his aura used to be the same.

Naruto's eyes snapped open. And he grinned, exposing his fangs in the darkness. "I dunno. What's exactly, okay? By okay, do you mean emotionally? Because I feel like someone ripped my heart out of my chest with their hands. But if you mean physically... well... I've got this cool new tail." he flashed his new appendage; it was yellow and tinted with streaks of orange. Naruto caught the raven's shocked face and smirked, "Pretty cool, huh?"

"I'm going to ignore that comment because I'm pretty sure you're not all there at the moment." the aura around them suddenly grew tense and dark. Sasuke had stepped on a mine, he knew that. It was a purposeful statement. Only so he could gauge some reaction through Naruto's eyes. When he first entered this hallway he had sensed Naruto lingering around, but there was something else hidden away. Beginner's luck told him it was Kyuubi's aura trying to bleed through to break out again. Sasuke didn't know that the boy had lost his father. Or that everything around him would slowly start to crumple. All he saw was a boy who had somehow lost control of the very thing he wished to never let loose.

Naruto growled deep in his throat, his whiskers turning feral. "I'll have you know that I'm thinking with most of my brain capacity right now! So come a little closer, Sasu. I missed youuu~."

"I missed you, too; minus the tail." he ignored the whine Naruto shot his way. _'How in the hell am I going to get through to him?' _Sure, Naruto was acting rather docile. Nothing unlike his broken form a few hours ago. But this... this boy... he could see the insanity seeping through the small, cracked parts of stability. One foul move and Naruto could probably kill him. Without any regrets (in this state). That not only scared the raven... but made his heart physically flatten. "So tell me. How did you grow the extra features?"

The blond stiffened. The words 'LIFE' and 'DEATH' attacked his soul, made it bleed, caused it to die a little with each letter. He snarled. Visions of his father's dead body. Cold. Lifeless... that word. Lifeless! A flash of red aura started to tendril around his body.

"Oh you know... the usual." his voice was low and cold, hiding back fiery bursts of anger. _'Don't lose it. Don't lose it. Don't... Not... In front of...' _"My father. The man who brought me up in this world. Was _murdered_. MURDERED! He left me all alone! He left me all alone with a kingdom filled with people who want me _dead_! So... So... I..." his body shook. It trembled. Kyuubi was pushing at his weak points, feeding off his insecurities. And he was winning. "There was so much... so much... destruction..." when he looked up, Sasuke felt his heart break in two. That cold fury still laced Naruto's orbs but he had tears running down haphazardly like waterfalls.

"Naruto..." Sasuke slipped his hand through the bar, wriggling his fingers. He just wanted to touch him. Touch Naruto. Show him how much of his humanity he still had left. He saw the battle Naruto was fighting because it was the same battle Naruto had helped him win. The battle where you feel like you no longer hold anything remotely human. Where you've just hit rock bottom and you're coated in darkness too much for you to bear, so you're swallowed up whole. Naruto... Naruto couldn't live in that world. He didn't deserve it like Sasuke had. Naruto had only lost a father. Sasuke had _killed _a father. Naruto was the light; the sun. He deserved to shine. To be happy. He had the strength to move mountains and make people love him. How could he not see that? How...

Naruto looked at the extended fingertips. His heart cracked; right in the middle. After all this... After knowing what tragedies Naruto was able to commit if provoked enough... Sasuke still wanted to touch him? Naruto couldn't believe this. This had to be a dream. All of it. When he opened his eyes again it would be to shadows and the wind... Sasuke's voice cut through his thoughts.

"Naruto. Grab my hand. And I promise you... you'll be okay." Sasuke smiled—the smile that was only reserved for Naruto's beautiful eyes to see. Only meant for him.

The blond swallowed past his hesitation and slowly... he began to reach for those fingertips.

"I'm so scared..." he remembered saying those words to Pein, and the comfort he received afterward. In that moment, he thought he could at least climb this hurdle all by himself. But seeing Sasuke... remembering all the mayhem he caused because he couldn't control his emotions... every single lie he told himself as a comfort blanket started to shred away.

"That's fine." their fingertips were so close. Just a few inches apart. "We're allowed to be scared. That makes us _human_."

"Please... Sasuke... promise me you won't leave me... if I look like this?" so close...

Sasuke smiled brighter, "You could look like a grizzly bear and I'd never leave your side, Naruto."

The sun and the moon touched that day in the lowly cell thousands of feet beneath the earth. Their crossing was electric. It changed everything, the momentum, the course of events—fate. The books were being rewritten. The story started to change. Two princes, a fox and a raven, had become unbreakable.

Naruto's claws started to retract along with his tail, his whiskers tamed, and his eyes stayed that beautiful shade of blue Sasuke loved so much. There was still a chain held around Naruto's ankle—just in case—but that didn't stop the two from intertwining their fingers and connecting their lips. They kissed. And they kissed. Their lips moving together in perfect harmony. When they pulled apart, the lack of air between them was irrelevant. All they could see was one another.

"Dobe, you nearly scared me." Sasuke chuckled softly and leaned his forehead against Naruto's.

The blond pouted slightly, "I really thought the tail was cool, though..."

"Of course you would. But I thought I would never see you again."

"Are things bad on your end of the line, too?"

"Half our city's destroyed. Itachi's gone missing. And I nearly lost an arm."

Naruto's eyes bugged out of his head. "Holy shit! That's... that's a lot..." he deflated at the thought of Sasuke having to go through his own ordeals while he was sitting in a cold cell, sulking... like a brat. "Itachi's really gone...?"

Sasuke nodded wordlessly. Words would mean having to say the truth aloud. The truth burned.

"I can't believe it..."

"Neither can I."

A few droplets of silence... and then...

"Sasuke..."

"Hm?" Sasuke cupped the blond's cheek in his hand and their eyes clashed.

"W-What... do you think is going to happen next?"

"I..." Sasuke was at a loss. What _was _going to happen next?

"Yeah," Naruto cut him off short, "I don't know either. When I was sitting here, I thought about taking over the throne and becoming king. Then maybe finding you so we could conduct a battle plan, to find out who k-killed my dad... But I still have doubts. The people... they can't accept me now. Not after all of the trouble I caused..."

"Naruto, listen to me. You didn't cause all of the trouble above us. It was the Kyuubi. You couldn't handle your emotions, no human being can. You just lost your father and the loss became too much so Kyuubi used it to his advantage. But... if there's one thing I know, and I'm sure numerous people in this city can relate to it, is that _you're not him. _You were born to be king. This opportunity came so you could seize it and take your rightful place as heir to Soleil."

Naruto could feel his heart swell, threatening to burst. When he looked into Sasuke's eyes all he could see was the truth, all forms of belief, and a sense of pride. He believed Naruto could do this. Could overcome the Kyuubi inside of him... because they were two separate beings. They weren't the same. Naruto had more control... and he could win. He could become king... and he would.

"Thank you, Sasuke." he leaned forward and rubbed his nose with Sasuke's.

"Are you still scared?" the raven whispered.

"Not anymore."


End file.
